The Detroit Lions have added veteran wide receiver DeAndre Carter to their practice squad, bringing in an experienced return specialist to address a sudden hole on special teams.
Tom Pelissero of The Ringer reported the signing, which comes shortly after the Lions lost returner Tom Kennedy to a season-ending knee injury during their victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
Kennedy had handled the bulk of the punt-return duties this season, and coach Dan Campbell indicated the team would look outside the roster for a replacement.
Carter, 33, enters as a proven option with a long track record in the return game.
Over the course of his NFL career, which began in earnest in 2018 after earlier brief stints as an undrafted free agent out of Sacramento State, he has averaged roughly 23.6 yards per kick return and about 9.7 yards per punt return.
He has appeared in well over 100 games across multiple teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, Washington, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, and most recently the Cleveland Browns.
With the Browns in 2025, he played in four games before landing on injured reserve with a knee injury, returning six punts for 56 yards and 11 kickoffs for 274 yards.
While Carter has recorded 117 receptions for 1,331 yards and six touchdowns in his career, with a career-high 46 catches and 538 yards for the Chargers in 2022, his primary value for Detroit figures to be on special teams.
The Lions turned to Amon-Ra St. Brown for punt returns in the immediate aftermath of Kennedy’s injury, a setup the coaching staff would prefer to avoid on a regular basis.
Carter’s extensive background as both a punt and kick returner gives the team a veteran alternative who can be elevated from the practice squad as needed.
Jacob Saylors remains a kick-return option, but the addition of Carter provides depth while the Lions evaluate their options during the bye week ahead of a key matchup with the Green Bay Packers.
For a 33-year-old who has bounced between a long list of franchises, the move represents another opportunity to stick in the league through special-teams contributions.
Detroit, currently sitting at 3-2 and tied in the NFC North race, gains a low-risk veteran who can step in without requiring a major roster overhaul.
Whether Carter earns a promotion to the active roster in time for the Packers game or continues to provide practice-squad insurance remains to be seen, but his track record suggests he can handle the immediate need created by Kennedy’s absence.
