The Washington Redskins did a good job of adding talent to their roster on the undrafted free agent market. One of the players who could contend for a roster spot is Grambling State’s Martez Carter.
Coming into the 2018 offseason, it was widely expected that the Washington Redskins would address some of the problems they had at running back. Since the decline of Alfred Morris, the team has struggled to field a competitive running game on early downs. Both Matt Jones and Rob Kelley didn’t succeed in the lead back role in the past two seasons, and it was always likely that the team was going to add a new starter in 2018.
And they did that. They selected Derrius Guice in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and it’s likely that he will be able to win the starting role with the team. That means that Chris Thompson will be in the third down role while Samaje Perine will be the primary backup. And that would be ideal for the squad.
However, there are still some depth spots being jockeyed for on the roster, and it’s possible that the team could keep a fourth back. Kelley is the early favorite for that role, but a receiving back could make the roster instead. And while some have pointed to Kapri Bibbs as a potential options, Martez Carter could push for that spot.
Carter, who played his college ball at Grambling State, could end up being a solid contributor and will have a chance to produce for the Redskins. Here’s an in-depth look at the undrafted free agent who could make the final roster or at least earn a spot on the practice squad.
About Martez Carter
For Martez Carter, getting to the NFL wasn’t easy. He came from a tough upbringing, and much has been made of his journey to get there. In his early years, Carter grew up in Monroe, Louisiana. His father was in prison and his single mother raised Carter and his siblings on her own.
As a senior in high school, Carter was academically ineligible to play. But, he worked hard enough to get his grades back up and get himself into college.
And as Carter told ESPN’s The Undefeated, he wanted to make an impact. And he wanted to overcome the tough upbringing that he had. Here’s what he said in a piece by Maya A. Jones back in November.
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"“I have a 27-year-old brother who is incarcerated,” Carter said. “My mother dropped out of school in 10th grade, my father dropped out in the 10th grade, and I have older brothers who dropped out in the 10th grade. … I didn’t want to be a bad product of my environment. I didn’t want to be a statistic, so I just really put in my mind that if I hadn’t gotten a chance to go to college, I was going to make the best of it.”"
And Carter was able to do that. He ended up going to Grambling after a brief stint at Wiley College where he was going to play basketball. But when Grambling came knocking, he took the opportunity to go an play football, and he began his career as a defensive back.
After a season at DB, Grambling moved Carter to the offensive side of the ball. He became a running back, and that’s when his career really started to take off.
Carter’s on-field performance
Carter has had a productive career in his four years at Grambling. Every year after switching to running back, he recorded at least 850 rushing yards. And as time went on during his career, he improved as a receiver. And it was clear that Carter, dubbed “Mr. Excitement” for his explosive on-field ability, could have a future in the NFL.
During his senior season, Carter saw a career-high 167 carries and totaled 854 yards and 10 touchdowns. Additionally, he caught 33 passes for 449 yards and two scores, and the latter two figures were career highs as well. He was a big part of the Grambling offense, and there is certainly a chance that he can play a role at the NFL level.
When watching Carter’s tape, it’s clear that he has a lot of quick cut ability that will make him a threat at the NFL level. Carter has very good lateral agility and can explode out of cuts. His smaller size allows him to change directions very easily, and that makes him a solid option when running between the tackles.
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It also helps Carter’s cause that he has good top end speed. He can outrun defenders getting to the edge to gain yards and when he gets into open space, it is hard to bring him down. He uses his combination of speed and lateral agility to make men miss. Given this ability and his good receiving skills, he could become an ideal third down back with a chance to carve out a role in an offense.
The only thing working against Carter at the NFL level is his lack of size. Because of his 5-foot-7, 193 pound frame, Carter likely will not be able to break tackles and could be stopped on early downs in obvious running situations. That said, it’s unlikely that would be his role anyway, so it won’t be much of a problem. And given the success the Redskins have had with the undersized Chris Thompson, Carter could be a natural fit with them.
Also, it’s worth noting that Carter can tend to bounce runs outside and search for the big play a bit too much on occasion. This is something that can plague athletic runners, as they look to break the big play every time they’re on the field. In his heyday, this was something that Chris Johnson was guilty of. Still, that can be coached up at the NFL level, so Carter will have a chance to produce.
For the next level, Carter could be similar to Tarik Cohen
The comparison for Carter at the NFL level would be Tarik Cohen. The former NC A&T star had a hyper productive college career including back-to-back 1,500-plus yard seasons to end his college career. Much like Carter, Cohen is an undersized, dual-threat back with good speed and shifty running skills. However, there is a bit of a difference between the two.
Cohen is a bit faster that Carter and he handled a full workload at NC A&T in two seasons. In fact, in Carter’s never recorded more than 167 carries in a season while Cohen recorded at least 195 in each of his four years. So, he was more proven going into the NFL, and that’s what led to him being a third-round pick by the Bears.
I’m not the only one who has drawn the comparison between Cohen and Carter. WalterFootball.com’s Charlie Campbell referenced some scouts who had been impressed by Carter in his 2018 NFL Draft prospect rankings. Here’s what he said.
FanSided
"In late September, team sources told me that Carter was a player who really impressed scouts this fall. One area scout said that Carter is a bigger Tarik Cohen and is arguably as good as Cohen was in college during 2016. They also say that Carter impressed them in 2016, when he averaged 7.7 yards per carry for 906 yards with 11 touchdowns. Carter added 28 receptions for 351 yards and three scores that season, too. The senior averaged 5.1 yards per carry in 2017 for 854 yards and 10 touchdowns, plus took 33 receptions for 449 yards and two touchdowns."
Still, Cohen is probably better than Carter, solely because he was more of a proven commodity. But, Carter could become a quality rotational back and become a very good third down back at the NFL level.
It’s possible that Carter could have a Cohen-like impact at the NFL level if given the chance. In the event that Thompson gets hurt and Carter takes over the third down role, he could be afforded the opportunity to succeed.
During his rookie season, Cohen got 140 touches and totaled 723 scrimmage yards and three scores. Additionally, he was a threatening return man and got a touchdown on a punt return. Carter could play a similar role, though he may not be a return option early in his career. Either way, he has the upside necessary to push for a spot on the Redskins final roster.
How Carter fits with the Redskins
It seems highly possible, if not probable, that Carter will stay with the Redskins in one way, shape, or form. Carter could challenge to make the final roster and earn one of the projected four spots that will go to running backs. He could be a superb backup to Chris Thompson and could find a role on special teams as well, perhaps as a return man.
However, in the event that Carter isn’t quite ready to be on the roster, the Redskins could keep him on the practice squad. Given the injuries that plagued the team at the running back position last year, the team may have interest in keeping a running back or two on their practice squad. Because of Carter’s talent level and potential, he could easily be a player that would fit in there.
For Carter, impressing at rookie mini-camp and getting some action in the preseason will be critical to proving that he will fit in at the NFL level. As it stands, the main concerns are his size and whether or not he will be able to adjust his running style to fit the NFL. But, the first bullet point won’t matter, especially if Carter flashes talent.
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Carter has done well to get this far. It’s clear that he has talent and potential, and he could make the Redskins team. It will be great to see him on the field and see if he can become the next great Redskins undrafted free agent.