Michael Carter: Everything you need to know

The Titans and Carter agreed to terms of a contract Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports. Since the Cardinals claimed Carter off waivers from the Jets in November 2023, Carter made 22 regular-season appearances (six starts) for his new team, totaling 149 carries for 613 yards (4.1 YPC) and two touchdowns and 53 catches (on 67 targets) for 357 yards and one more TD. His role was contingent on health -- not only his own but also that of backfield mates like James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson (knee). Considering Tennessee boasts holdover running backs Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears and may pounce on a top RB in the 2026 NFL Draft, Carter could find touches difficult to come by without injuries affecting the aforementioned duo.

Carter rushed seven times for 18 yards, adding three catches for 21 yards in Sunday's 37-20 loss to the Rams. He finished the season with 92 rushes for 333 yards and one touchdown, adding 33 receptions for 267 yards on 45 targets. Despite an uneven 2025 campaign, Carter finished the season as the team leader in carries, rushing yards, targets, receptions and receiving yards. The 26-year-old was forced into a bigger role in the backfield when teammates James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson (knee) were lost early in the season. Alongside Emari Demercado and Bam Knight, Carter handled backfield duties for a significant part of the season, allowing him to show off his abilities ahead of the 2026 offseason, in which he will become an unrestricted free agent. Though it is unclear if he'll be back with Arizona, the North Carolina product has likely done enough to garner interest from teams around the NFL as a versatile rotational player out of the backfield.

Carter carried the ball seven times for 29 yards and caught two of four targets for 14 yards in Sunday's 37-14 loss to the Bengals. The Cardinals were down 23-7 at halftime and didn't get closer, so game script wasn't in Carter's favor as a runner. He still caught multiple passes for the sixth time in seven games however, a stretch in which he's put together 214 yards on the ground with a 4.6 YPC while adding a 21-169-0 line on 30 targets. Arizona has nothing on the line but draft positioning in Week 18, but the Cardinals also don't have many other healthy RBs, so Carter could remain the starter in the team's season finale against the Rams.