Washington Football Team signs return man/receiver DeAndre Carter
It appears that the Washington Football Team had one major goal coming into free agency. They wanted to upgrade their receiving corps.
Washington signed two players early in the free-agent process — Curtis Samuel and Adam Humphries — to serve as potential starters for the team out wide. The 24-year-old Samuel looks like a particularly good and versatile option for them while Humphries is a veteran slot-man that should find a lot of success in that area.
Additionally, Washington retained Cam Sims on an original-round tender, so they kept some size and youth on the outside as well.
More from Riggo's Rag
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
- Bet365 VA Bonus Code – Claim $200 Guaranteed With Sign-Up Bonus
However, they’re still not done adding talent to the position. On Thursday, the team confirmed via their official website that DeAndre Carter would be joining the team.
How DeAndre Carter fits with the Washington Football Team
Carter, 27, has been in the league since 2015 and Washington will be his eighth stop. That may not sound all that exciting, but he does have 43 games worth of experience and fills a need for Washington at a key position.
Arguably, Carter’s best skill is his ability to return kicks and punts. He has averaged 21.8 yards per kick return on 45 career attempts. All of those came in the last three years with the Texans.
Carter has also been great on punt returns and holds a 9.3 yards-per-return average. He doesn’t have any touchdowns, but that actually makes his average a bit more impressive, as it’s not skewed by one huge return for a TD.
Last season, Steven Sims Jr. struggled immensely fielding punts and making the most of his return opportunities. As a result, he averaged only 6.7 yards per return. Clearly, the shifty 5-foot-8 Carter will have a good chance to challenge Sims for that job and may well emerge with it.
Between Carter, Humphries, and even Samuel, Washington has given themselves some solid return man options as well as receivers. They have excellent depth at both positions now and should be able to field a better-than-average unit next season even if they don’t add anyone in the draft.
Next. Is Sam Darnold a WFT option if his price drops?. dark
Washington is continuing to build its team the smart way. There isn’t a guarantee that Carter will make the team, but he’s only 27 and even if he doesn’t contribute much as a receiver, his return ability carries value. That alone makes him a good signing for Washington.