Indianapolis Colts: How Duron Carter fits

The Indianapolis Colts were always one of the front-runners to ink undrafted free agent receiver Duron Carter, who is one of the most hyped-up UDFAs in recent memory since he’s Cris Carter‘s son and had two successful seasons in the CFL. Coming out of college, Carter had massive character concerns and couldn’t latch on to a practice squad despite receiving interest from a couple of teams, including the Minnesota Vikings, who did show interest in him this offseason before he officially signed with the Colts yesterday.

Several teams showed interest in Carter, and this was all expected based on various in-season reports. It sounds like execs and coaches believe that Carter finally has his head on straight, or at least straight enough to the point where it’s worth it for them to roll the dice on a high-upside player.

The Colts have one high-upside receiver on their roster in Ole Miss rookie Donte Moncrief, who showed plenty of promise last season despite limited targets in a crowded wide receiver corps. With Reggie Wayne‘s future in a state of flux and Hakeem Nicks set to hit the free agent market after proving nothing on his one-year deal, the Colts decision to sign Carter makes both of their futures look even more unclear.

It’s important to set a low bar for Carter in his first season in the league, because some people need to realize that making the roster isn’t a guarantee for this guy. Yes, he had 0ver 900 receiving yards in both of his first two CFL seasons and racked up touchdown receptions, but those aren’t mind-blowing numbers, which is what you’d expect from an impact player in the CFL. Recall that he was shut down by cornerback Delvin Breaux, who signed with the New Orleans Saints earlier this offseason.

That said, the Colts have to be high on what Carter can bring to the table in this explosive offense, since they’ve shown major interest in him for months on end. His upside is undeniable, since he has the pedigree and a terrific 6’4″, 205-pound frame that can allow him to function as a possession receiver or a downfield target.

Nicks would like to stay in Indianapolis, but it’s unclear if the Colts feel that he still has a place on this team. If Carter can show up well during the offseason, then I think he makes more sense as Nicks’s replacement than as Wayne’s. While Wayne was poor last season and could hang up the spikes, I think Carter would fit Nicks’s role more as the big receiver with raw talent who can move the chains and get downfield on occasion.

Versatility is the name of the game at the wide receiver position, but the other key thing is making mis-matches. At 6’4″, Carter could be a mis-match in the slot, so it will be interesting to see if the Colts decide to move him around the formation and use him like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers used Vincent Jackson in his first season or the way the Buffalo Bills used Stevie Johnson under Chan Gailey.

It’s honestly hard to project how Carter will do in his first season, because there just isn’t much out there to evaluate. It will be interesting to see what happens during offseason activities when we can hear reports about how he looks, but we honestly won’t have a good idea about what he exactly he brings to the table and how much he’s developed as a receiver until the NFL until at least training camp. He’ll have to keep his nose clean and show on-field maturity in order to stick around, and I have faith that he’ll be able to do that.

Hilton is locked in as Andrew Luck‘s No. 1 receiver and is arguably a top-ten receiver after the year he put together, and I see Moncrief locked in as the No. 2 guy due to the upside he showed last year. Wayne would still figure to be the No. 3 option if he sticks around, and I have a feeling that Wayne’s return would cause the Colts to let Nicks go.

It’s hard to tell if the Indianapolis Colts are fine with bringing back Nicks on another cheap, one-year deal, and I think Carter vs. Nicks/Wayne would be the No. 3 receiver battle. At this point, it’s too bullish to anticipate Duron Carter competing with Moncrief, though the hype train apparently already has him as a 1,000-yard receiver. As always, don’t confuse upside with expectations. If he makes the roster, he’ll play a role of some significance in the offense, but this signing is all about his impact down-the-road.

Next: Mock Draft: Colts add to secondary

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