Colts closing in on deal for CFL receiver Duron Carter

Duron Carter, the son of Hall of Fame receiver Cris Carter, will jump from the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes to sign with the Indianapolis Colts.

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Duron Carter was expected to be one of the most sought-after free agents in the NFL offseason, but the Indianapolis Colts have all but assured that won’t happen.

Carter, the son of Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame wideout Cris Carter, is closing in on signing with the Colts once he is freed from his contract with the Canadian Football League’s Montreal Alouettes. The wideout will be free to sign with an NFL immediately after he is released from his CFL deal, which allows him to ink a deal prior to the February 10 date when CFL players with expired contracts can make the jump over the border.

Indy is the front-runner for Carter, who had 1,939 yards receiving in his two years with Montreal, although he is still in discussions with the Vikings. The Colts reportedly have the edge due to Carter’s interest in playing with Pro Bowl quarterback Andrew Luck.

The decline in Reggie Wayne’s play and the lackluster season from free agent Hakeem Nicks is signaling a changing of the guard at wideout for the Colts. Both are unrestricted free agents this spring, which would leave just Pro Bowler T.Y. Hilton and promising Donte Moncrief atop the depth chart.

Minnesota is in search of more firepower to supply quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, especially after Cordarrelle Patterson experienced a sophomore slump that led him to the bench by season’s end. Charles Johnson and Jarius Wright have shown flashes of potential, while Greg Jennings still has three years left on a contract that he has grossly underachieved with thus far.

Like his dad, Duron Carter has had his share of warts. He originally attended Ohio State (like dear old dad), yet academic problems led him to become a collegiate nomad of sorts (Coffeyville Community College and Florida Atlantic), which included a brief stint at Alabama. Carter went undrafted in 2013 but attended training camp with the Vikings. He was cut in camp, which led him to Canada.

At 6’5, 210, Carter will be the latest in the NFL’s trend toward big, athletic receivers. He’s not a burner, yet has enough speed to separate himself from most defensive backs. It certainly doesn’t hurt his cause that he can call one of the most sure-handed, disciplined route runners in league history dad, while his CFL highlights do show the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree.

A more matured, seasoned Carter could be an impact player next season, especially if he lands in Indy, where Luck will target him often. The potential addition of Carter will also free up the Colts from considering a wideout with their first round pick (29th overall) in the draft.

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