DeAndre Carter Just Became a Detroit Lion, And Their 3-2 Season Is Counting On His 8 Years of Return Experience

The Detroit Lions just snagged veteran wide receiver DeAndre Carter, officially making him their new return man after a workout this past Thursday, October 15. This isn’t just a roster move; it is a mid-season call-up for a squad that is currently sitting at 3-2 and needed a big answer fast.

Tom Kennedy’s Injury Forced The Move, And The Lions Wasted No Time

This signing comes hot off the heels of a brutal hit for the Lions’ special teams unit. Their returner, Tom Kennedy, went down with a season-ending knee injury in their win against the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday, October 11. Coach Dan Campbell wasted no time after that, saying Monday that the team would be looking outside the roster for a replacement, and they found him in Carter. Kennedy was a key piece, handling all punt returns for the Lions this season and splitting kick-return duties with Jacob Saylors. He was rolling too, ranking sixth in the NFL with 13.2 yards per punt return and averaging 24.8 yards per kick return. That is a big hole to fill, right?

DeAndre Carter Brings Veteran Experience To Detroit’s Special Teams

So, who is this new guy? Carter brings extensive experience, rocking an eight-season NFL career to the Motor City. He played four games with the Cleveland Browns last season and has averaged 23.6 yards per kick return and 9.7 yards per punt return over his entire career. The Sacramento State alumnus has been around the block, playing for 10 previous teams before landing in Detroit. He was not the only guy they looked at either; Steven Sims also worked out for the Lions on Thursday. For now, Amon-Ra St. Brown handled punt returns against the Cardinals after Kennedy went down, and he could still see some limited action there moving forward.

The 3-2 Lions are clearly looking for a proven commodity to step up immediately, and Carter’s veteran presence is exactly what they need to keep their special teams humming as the season rolls on. It will be exciting to see him out there in a Lions uniform.

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Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.