The Detroit Lions were able to get back on the winning side of things, defeating the Arizona Cardinals by a 45-21 final score in Week 5 of the NFL season and improving their record to 3-2.
The Lions have been considerably shorthanded all season long thanks to the injury absences of notable names like Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, and Cade Mays.
Additionally, they lost punt returner Tom Kennedy during the win over the Cardinals to a season-ending injury.
And now, Lions GM Brad Holmes has added some depth on the offensive side of the ball, signing veteran wide receiver DeAndre Carter to the practice squad in the wake of the news that Kennedy is unavailable for the rest of the season.
The Detroit Lions Have Signed Veteran Wide Receiver DeAndre Carter To The Practice Squad
As first reported by NFL Insider Tom Pelissero, the Lions are signing Carter, who has played 117 career games, to the practice squad.
“Veteran WR DeAndre Carter is signing with the Lions practice squad, per source. An experienced return man,” Pelissero reported on X, formerly known as Twitter.
During the game against the Cardinals, Amon-Ra St. Brown returned a pair of punts for 36 total yards, something that head coach Dan Campbell said wasn’t going to be their plan moving forward.
With the addition of Carter, the Lions now have more valuable depth at the position.
DeAndre Carter Has Appeared In 117 Career NFL Games
Carter played wide receiver at Sacramento State, where he became one of the FCS’ top pass catchers.
In 2014, he earned first-team FCS All-American honors after producing 99 receptions for 1,321 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Carter, who was never drafted, bounced around the NFL early in his career before establishing himself with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. He later earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors with Washington after returning a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown in 2021.
Carter has since played for the Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, Washington Football Team, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns, along with his initial stint in Philadelphia. He returned to Chicago in 2024 before signing with Cleveland in 2025.
So far in his NFL career, Carter has racked up 4,907 return yards and 1,331 receiving yards on 117 receptions and seven touchdowns.
Lions Snag 117-Game Veteran Wide Receiver