Ahead of the NFL training camp that begins next month, the Chicago Bears are expanding their roster in the offseason by acquiring another seasoned wide receiver and return specialist.
The Bears are adding veteran DeAndre Carter from the Las Vegas Raiders to their 90-man roster, according to ESPN’s Jordan Schultz. Carter’s signing hasn’t been formally confirmed by the organization, but adding him wouldn’t require a matching roster change.
Carter was not a big part of the Raiders offense in 2023, but he was the team’s main return specialist on kickoffs and punt returns. He averaged 9.7 yards on 24 punt returns and 23.8 yards on 11 kickoff returns, so the Bears may find him useful in 2024 as they get used to the new kickoff regulations implemented by the NFL.
Within his first six seasons in the NFL, Carter, 31, has also grabbed 108 catches for 1,259 yards and six touchdowns. He caught 46 passes for 538 yards and three touchdowns in 2022, his greatest season as a pass-catcher with the Los Angeles Chargers. He could challenge the less seasoned receivers on the Bears squad for a spot on the 53-man roster.
After Carter’s deal is confirmed, Chicago’s offseason roster may include no more than 90 players. The Bears must also make a matching cut to make room if they wish to add anyone else before the first training camp session on July 26.
DeAndre Carter Was Previously a Bears Player in 2020
Carter may be a fresh recruit for the Bears in 2024, but he has prior experience in Chicago. Under Matt Nagy’s coaching staff, he participated in four games for the Bears in 2020 but did not see any offensive action. Instead, he returned four punts for a total of thirty yards.
Despite how forgettable Carter’s initial tenure may have been, the Bears probably realize he can be useful to them on special teams. In his 94 career games, the six-year veteran has more punt return yards (1,294) and kick return yards (2,646) than receiving yards (1,259). In addition, he has over 100 punt and kickoff returns under his belt, which sets him apart from the rest of Chicago’s backfield.
Carter’s skill at returns could be useful given the modifications the NFL has made to the kickoff structure. These days, on kickoffs, the only players who can move before the ball is touched by a player or hits the ground between the 20-yard line and the goal line are the kicker and the two designated return specialists for the receiving team. After a record-low return rate in 2023, it is hoped that the league will see more kickoff returns in 2024.
Carter might have staying power in the team’s camp if the Bears believe his quickness and experience can offer them an advantage in a now-emphasized aspect of the game.
Is DeAndre Carter Going to Remove Velus Jones from the Roster?
In all likelihood, Carter may make his way onto the 53-man roster. Aside from DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, he has more pass-catching experience than any other wide receiver for the Bears. If Chicago is confident in his return ability, he may make a strong argument to be the fifth or sixth receiver in the rotation.
Carter may have to perform better in camp than Velus Jones Jr. to guarantee his spot, though.
Jones, a third-round pick in 2022, is a reliable kick returner but has not shown much promise as an offensive playmaker. He has averaged 27.4 yards on 38 kick returns in his career, and the NFL rule modifications to the kickoff format could help him as well. Richard Hightower, the special teams coordinator for the Bears, is positive he will.
On May 11, Hightower remarked of Jones, “With the speed and the power that he has and he’s coming full speed ahead at you, it’s like a damn freight train running at you.” “And we all know he is a very dynamic player with the ball in his hand, so he will have three or four more opportunities to touch the ball during a game.”
In 2024, Carter might possibly pose a risk to Dante Pettis’s spot on the team. As the Bears’ main punt returner during the 2022 season, Pettis was sidelined for the entire 2023 campaign due to an injury he sustained during training camp. The fact that the Bears re-signed Carter for 2024 says something about how they feel about him, but Pettis might be placed on the roster bubble rather than Jones given Carter’s versatility as a punt and kickoff returner.
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