The Las Vegas Raiders have a bad habit of releasing solid players who end up doing great things for other franchises. While some teams release good players because they have a surplus and cannot afford to pay them all, the Raiders often do so as a product of poor judgement.
In 2023, the team signed wide receiver and return specialist DeAndre Carter to a one-year deal, and after a solid campaign with Las Vegas, the team let him leave in free agency for the Chicago Bears. On Tuesday, the Cleveland Browns announced that they were signing Carter to a one-year deal for the upcoming season.
In 2023, Carter only caught four passes for 39 yards in Las Vegas, he had 494 return yards while serving as both the team’s kick and punt returner. He had an even better year in 2024 with the Bears, catching nine passes for 72 yards and adding 637 return yards.
Carter has been in the NFL for seven years and has played for seven different NFL franchises. Next year with the Browns will be his eighth team in as many years, but he could see an increase in receiving production as a result of the poor wide receiver room that Cleveland has.
Las Vegas has no juice in the return game, and they need speed at wide receiver this season. Carter was far from the Raiders’ best player in 2023, but the team could use a player like him this season.