Riders’ Carter misses offence, but happy on defence

Duron Carter is used to his name being on everyone’s lips – he just doesn’t always understand it.

The added attention, of course, comes from Carter’s current position on the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The green and white’s top receiver from 2017 (he had 1,043 receiving yards and eight touchdowns) is the Roughriders starting cornerback.

In two starts – one from the 2017 and one from last week – Carter has two interceptions for a touchdown. Though his game against Ottawa came with mixed results.

Final numbers on Duron at CB:
– 56 snaps
– Targeted 5 times
– 4 receptions for 86 yds, TD
– 1 INT return for TD
– 1 missed tackle (Powell's TD)#Riders #Redblacks #Details

— DT on S(ports) C(age)🇨🇦🏈 (@DTonSC) June 22, 2018

Still, he doesn’t understand the criticism he gets, especially on social media.

“Cornerbacks get beat every week. Fifty-six points got put up this last week and I don’t see any (other) corner in the paper right now,” Carter said while sitting back in his locker, a throng of media around him.

“I could care less if people criticize me. We had touchdowns on defence, doing things I’ve never done before. I’m doing things that people have never done before so I feel like I’m the only one that can talk.”

Though Carter also admits he misses the offence and sometimes catches himself getting ready to go out on the field with the rest of the receiver group.

“You miss it in a sense … you’re on the sideline and a few a times they say ‘offence ready’ and I got up to go out there,” he said, adding he’s working to correct that as well as his focus.

“I get bored sometimes,” he laughed.

“I have to stay focused on every play. On offence you can have a lapse of focus because it’s a run play or it’s going the opposite way. Defence – every play, every play, every play has an opportunity to come to you so you have to stay ready,”

Fellow defensive back and 11-year CFL veteran Jovon Johnson said he’s seen improvement from Carter in that regard and the more he and the other DBs have worked with him.

“He’s gotten a lot better with attention to deal, trusting Ed (Gainey) is going to make sure that he’s doing the right thing and where he’s supposed to be at. When the ball is in his area everybody knows that Duron is going to make a play and that’s what he does and that helps us a lot,” Johnson said.

But that doesn’t mean that Johnson wants Carter to be with them permanently.

“He gives us a lot to look forward to and we love him but we wish we could get him back on offence to catch the ball because that’s where he’s the most impactful,” Johnson said.

That’s still a few weeks away as head coach Chris Jones has said Carter will play in Marshall’s spot as he continues to heal from hand surgery.

Jones said because of the strength of rookie receiver Shaq Evans, who is starting on offence in Carter’s absence, he has the flexibility to flip Carter onto defence.

But no matter what side of the ball he’s on, Jones said it’s the same old Carter.

“He’s a handful either way,” the head coach chuckled.