Roughriders sign enigmatic receiver Duron Carter

The Roughriders are shoring up their receiver depth in a big way, announcing they signed Duron Carter to a contract Thursday morning.

Carter was released by the Montreal Alouettes in October after a series of incidents including a shouting match with Als quarterback Rakeem Cato.

Carter was also fined and suspended one game after bumping into Ottawa Redblacks coach Rick Campbell on the sideline of their June 30 matchup.

“I’m not a bad boy,” Carter said when asked about his reputation in the league. “It’s just more like on the field I have the sort of intensity that I try to have unmatched. If anybody wants to bring their intensity, I have to go even further … that’s how I play.”

Despite this, Carter remained the leading receiver on the Alouettes team even at the time of his release, collecting 938 yards on 61 catches and five touchdowns. Some of those receptions came from quarterback Kevin Glenn, who Carter is now reunited with in Saskatchewan.

“I really appreciate that because last year, even going into the season I felt that we were really clicking. I really wanted him to be our quarterback throughout the season. I felt like we could have really did something, so the opportunity to play with him again definitely feels great.”

Carter said he had the opportunity to catch up with head coach and general manager Chris Jones when he held tryouts in Florida. He said the bond he has with a coach is important, and that he was looking for honesty. He found that with Jones.

“I have always heard good things about him,” Carter said. “What I could take form it was he was sort of like Nick Saban, and Nick Saban was my coach in Alabama and I think he’s the best coach ever.”

Jones was not available to the media Thursday as he was flying out of Alabama after attending the Senior Bowl, but made a small statement in the team’s release.

“We are pleased to be able to add a dynamic player like Duron Carter to our football team,” said Jones in a press release on Thursday. “He is a supreme talent with a rare combination of size and speed that has yet to reach his full potential.”

Carter said aside from Jones it was the fans that attracted him to Saskatchewan, adding his first year in the CFL, the Roughriders won the Grey Cup, and he hopes to help them bring home that trophy again.

“Saskatchewan has always caught my eye with their fans,” Carter said. “I saw how enthusiastic everyone was and it sort of feels great to be part of something like that.”

Carter has been with the Alouettes since 2013, but spent 2015 on the practice roster of the Indianapolis Colts. In 2014, he was named a CFL All Star after a 1,030 yard season.