On June 2, we broke down ten of the top free agent football players left on the open market. Just one of them has been signed. Among the unsigned remains defensive end Andre Carter, who recorded ten sacks in 14 starts with the Patriots last season.
Carter has spent the offseason rehabbing a torn quadriceps muscle. In a June 12 interview with Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, Carter revealed his qaud “pop[ped] off the bone,” leading to an extended recovery period.
As Field Yates of ESPN Boston noted in a Saturday glance at the Patriots’ roster, New England has filled 89 of 90 possible roster spots with one month left before training camp. Yates writes that Carter “very well” could fill that 90th spot while pointing out that the Patriots have yet to assign Carter’s jersey No. 93 to another player.
The Patriots have done a nice job of upgrading their defensive end depth chart this offseason, drafting Chandler Jones in the first round and Jake Bequette in the third. They also signed versatile defensive end/tackle Jonathan Fanene, and end/linebacker Trevor Scott.
Carter’s return could round out the depth chart.