Duron Carter And The Cleveland Browns
Duron Carter, son of Hall of Fame WR Cris Carter, is looking to make his way into the NFL this offseason. After bouncing around in college, he ended up in the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes. In the last two seasons, playing in 27 of 36 games, he has had a total of almost 2000 yards, and 12 touchdowns. Several NFL teams have expressed interest in signing Carter, with Minnesota, Cleveland, and Indianapolis seemingly at the front of the line.However, the Browns, at least in my opinion, have the most reason to bring Carter into the fold for the next season.
Firstly, the Browns need to add some new talent at the position. The options at receiver last season were shaky at best, with only Andrew Hawkins as a sure thing to return next season. The Browns core at the position in 2014 included several receivers that measured in below 6’0, which is fine for a slot receiver, but isn’t what they need from a WR1 or WR2. Their best option who was taller than 6’0, was Miles Austin, who played only 12 games, and had less than 600 yards receiving. Beyond that, is Josh Gordon, who managed to play in only 5 games, compiling only 303 yards receiving.
This leads me into my next point, the future of Josh Gordon. His trials and tribulations have been well documented, since his college days at Baylor. As it stands right now, there is a very high chance that if he messes up again, he will be done permanently in the NFL. Bringing in Duron Carter offers the Browns a chance at helping Gordon get his life together, in a sort of mentor role. Carter has gone through some of the same problems that plague Gordon, with the party lifestyle, the lack of structure, and the issues with marijuana use. However, Duron has turned things around and the fact that he has dealt with a lot of the same issues as Gordon could help the two connect.
Finally, the fact of the matter is that his being here also brings with it an air of familiarity. His father Cris was a star at Ohio State, and if Duron hadn’t had so many off-field issues his freshman year, he might have done the same. He also spent most of his growing years around a bunch of NFL stars, as he was always at his fathers games. He knows what it takes to get on the field, and he seems to have finally learned the patience that comes with growing up. Cris instilled the necessary values in Duron, it has just been a matter of him putting them together in his life. Now that he looks to have done that, he would be a valuable addition to the Browns roster next season.
The fact of the matter is that the Browns have a rare opportunity in Duron Carter. He has the physical attributes, the skills, and the mentality to do big things in the NFL. Given the other teams who appear to be in the running for him, it seems like Cleveland would be the best fit. Out of the Colts, Vikings, and Browns, only the Colts have a deep chart at receiver. The main attraction of the Vikings is that Duron would be able to follow in his fathers footsteps again. The Browns should try to find a way to bring Duron here, and try to solve two problems at once; add depth at wide receiver and a chance to bring Gordon a mentor.
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