The Chicago Bears have watched several of their former players land new opportunities throughout the 2025 NFL offseason. Familiar faces like offensive lineman Coleman Shelton, linebacker Darrell Taylor, and defensive tackle Byron Cowart all signed with new teams since free agency opened, and while some will thrive amid their fresh starts, others won't.
Veteran wideout DeAndre Carter is another ex-Bear who left down this spring, having signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns at the start of April. Much to his dismay, though, Carter's time in Cleveland is already off to a bad start after how the last two months have unfolded.
Former Bears WR DeAndre Carter Off to Nightmare Start With Browns
No one can fault Carter for wanting a fresh start after a forgettable 2024 performance. Even though he made 13 appearances in a Bears jersey, the former Sacramento State product only caught 9-of-14 targets (64.3%) for 72 receiving yards without a touchdown, extending his TD-less streak to 36 consecutive games.
He also returned 17 punts for 158 yards and another 15 kicks for 479 more yards; however, his 60.9 special teams grade on Pro Football Focus was the worst mark of his career.
With the Browns lacking credible WR threats outside of Jerry Jeudy, signing in Cleveland made a ton of sense for Carter to attempt a turnaround. Unfortunately, his outlook has since become muddied by the Browns' acquiring former 1,100-yard wideout Diontae Johnson, as well as undrafted WRs Luke Floriea, Kisean Johnson, Gage Larvadain, and Cade McDonald.
It isn't unfathomable to imagine one of the rookies competing with Carter for kick/punt opportunities, too. That's without mentioning how running backs Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. already returned balls for the Browns last season, adding even more competition to the mix.
It doesn't help that the Browns also have a less-than-ideal situation under center. Cleveland still hasn't decided if Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, or Shedeur Sanders will be the starting quarterback, which will make it difficult for Carter to build consistent chemistry with any of them.
Speaking of QBs, Carter already ruffled Browns fans' feathers when he stole No. 2 from Sanders, who'd rocked that number throughout college, forcing the rookie QB to shift to No. 12.
If the ex-Bears WR can't find a way to thrive offensively, he'll be forced to prove his worth on special teams. And if he fails and is outshone there, too, it might not be long before Carter is forced to look for a new place to call home for the second time this offseason.
In other words, Bears fans will want to keep an eye on the Browns' offseason workouts to see if Carter's outlook changes for the better or for worse.
