The San Francisco 49ers are likely to be active in the wide receiver market during free agency and/or the Draft, but in the meantime, they have added some depth. The team announced on Friday that they have signed free agent DeAndre Carter to a two-year contract.
Carter (5’8, 190 pounds) was an undrafted free agent in 2015, signing with the Baltimore Ravens. He was waived on August 31, 2015, and signed with the Oakland Raiders practice squad on September 16, 2015. The Raiders released him on December 1, 2015, and he signed with the New England Patriots practice squad on December 15, 2015. He spent 2016 training camp with the Patriots, and was waived on September 3, 2016.
Carter is a Bay Area native, born in San Jose. He attended Sacramento State, where he appeared in 41 games throughout his four-year career (2011-14) and finished with 207 receptions for 2,760 yards and 35 touchdowns. As a senior in 2014, he set a single-season school record with 99 receptions for 1,321 yards and 17 touchdowns while earning Associated Press FCS First-Team All-American honors.
NFL.com’s annual scouting reports included one on Carter. His size is obviously an issue, but they like his short-area quickness:
Explosive short-area quickness and can free himself from most one-on-one coverage. Needs to prove he can offer special-teams return potential to maximize his opportunity. Despite lack of height, his quickness off the snap and out of his breaks will be hard to overlook for teams looking for possession receiver from the slot. Made promise to his dying 17-year-old brother that he would make it in the NFL.
Matt Barrows wrote a feature on him in April 2015, shortly before the 2017 NFL Draft. Carter took part in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl that year, and Mike Martz, who coached one of the teams, was a fan.
Here are a few videos of Carter: