Bears bring back veteran receiver and special teams player DeAndre Carter
CHICAGO - The Chicago Bears have brought back a special teams specialist who last played with the team in 2020.
The Bears announced Tuesday they're signing receiver and special teams ace DeAndre Carter. According to ChicagoBears.com, the contract is a one-year deal.
Carter will try and earn a spot with the Bears after the NFL changed its kickoff rules this offseason.
Carter played for the Las Vegas Raiders last year, and appeared in all 17 games. He led Las Vegas with an average of 9.7 yard per punt return and 23.8 yards per kickoff return.
Before playing with the Raiders, he averaged 11.7 yards per punt return average in 2022 with the Los Angeles Chargers. That average ranked No. 2 in the NFL among all qualified returners.
With the Bears in 2020, Carter played in four games. He arrived in Chicago after playing nine games for the Houston Texans and getting waived on November 17, 2020.
As a Bear, Carter returned four punts for 30 yards. In the Bears' NFC Wild Card loss to the Saints, Carter caught three passes for 17 yards.
This offseason, the NFL changed its kickoff return rules.
Kickoffs will still spot at the 35 yard line, but now players are not allowed to move until the ball touches a player or the turf.
According to the new rules, the kicking team will have 10 players line up at the opposing 40 and the receiving team will have nine players line up between their own 30-35. The return team will have two returners stand inside their own 20.
Only the kicker and returners can move before the ball is touched by a player or falls between the goal line and 20-yard line. In the new rules, kickers are also not allowed to cross the 50 yard-line.
Chicago Bears training camp beings in mid-July, with rookies reporting on July 16
The team has nine days off, and training camp is scheduled to conclude on August 29.