May 20, 2018

Notebook: Duron Carter just wants to have fun

in Saskatoon, SK, May 20, 2018 Photo Electric Umbrella/Liam Richards

SASKATOON — Now that training camp has arrived, Duron Carter’s eventful off-season is officially over.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver-cornerback was arrested twice for marijuana possession and those charges are still working their way through the Canadian court system.

Carter admitted Sunday at Griffiths Stadium that he’s concerned about his future — “You should be worried about being in any type of legal trouble,” he said after the Roughriders’ first training-camp session — but he’s not concerned about his reputation.

Some CFL fans will still like Carter and others still won’t, but that’s not his concern.

“I’m done trying to change people’s opinion about me,” he said. “I’m more about just accepting the people that are there for me and having a whole bunch of fun.

“Eventually, I’m not going to be playing football and you guys (in the media) are never going to remember Duron Carter again, so I’m just going to take advantage of it.”

During a recent off-season conference call with the media, Roughriders head coach-GM Chris Jones said he hoped the team and Carter “would make strides” when it came to the player’s off-field interests.

On Sunday, Carter reaffirmed his desire to connect with fans — and debating some of them, as he put it — on social media channels. In many cases, he said such interactions are about getting the faithful riled up.

But the man who took fans to a movie prior to the Eastern Final in Toronto in November and who is looking for a Humboldt Broncos jersey to pay tribute to that community remains civic-minded as well.

On the field, he’s also trying to become more of a leader and, in some cases, an instructor.

“I’ve always been an on-field coach type deal, but I’m sort of coming into being 27 (years old),” Carter said. “I’m a vet; I’m a legit vet now. (I like) being able to teach young guys and show them the ropes.

“I’m seeing guys coming in and they look like they’re 15 years old. I asked (Roughriders safety) Marco Brouillette — I was a rookie when we were in Montreal together — ‘Man, did I look like this?’ … It’s just fun. It brings a lot of memories.”

•••

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats had the football world buzzing Saturday when they signed former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel.

The Roughriders noticed.

“(Signing high-profile players) is always good for the league,” Carter said. “Johnny Manziel is a great player. We’ve seen him do amazing things. Can’t wait to pick him off.”

Carter played cornerback for the Roughriders at times during the 2017 season and is expected to do the same in 2018. He intercepted Calgary Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell in a game last season after the quarterback said on Twitter that he’d go after Carter.

Quarterback Zach Collaros was a member of the Tiger-Cats until January, when he was traded to the Roughriders. He too heard about the team’s transaction.

“I’m sure you guys (in the media) like that,” Collaros said with a grin. “You guys can write a lot of stories about that, I’m sure.

“(But) I’m not part of that organization anymore, so it really doesn’t matter to me.”

•••

Before taking the field Sunday, the Roughriders announced a number of transactions.

Seven players (defensive linemen Curt Maggitt, Johnny Maxey, Michael McFarland and Jordan Reaves, running backs Josh McPhearson and Zac Stacy and offensive lineman Marcus Oliver) were signed, while offensive lineman Logan Ferland of the PFC’s Regina Thunder was added as a territorial junior.

Fullback Spencer Moore and kicker Tyler Crapigna were moved to the veteran injured list, while linebacker Kevin Francis was put on the one-game injured list.

“We’ll just have to wait and see (where the injured players are at),” Jones said. “It’s one of those deals where you don’t want to throw them back out there too quick because they’re very valuable to what you do.”

Long-snapper Jorgen Hus, defensive lineman Eddie Steele and tailback Trent Richardson were suspended while dealing with personal issues.

And tailback Cameron Marshall — the Roughriders’ leading rusher last season before suffering a knee injury — was released.

Jones said Marshall had surgery in the off-season and wasn’t yet at 100 per cent, so he was let go.

Jones also noted he hasn’t had a conversation with former Roughriders linebacker Jeff Knox Jr., who was released by the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday.

•••

A couple of veterans listed on the roster didn’t take the field for Sunday’s workout, while one who started practice didn’t finish it.

Offensive tackle Josiah St. John hurt a hamstring during a workout at Mosaic Stadium last week, so he wasn’t participating Sunday. Neither was defensive tackle Rakim Cox, whose status isn’t known.

Meanwhile, receiver Jake Harty — who was signed as a free agent in February from the Ottawa Redblacks — left the first session with what’s believed to be a knee injury.

Jones, who didn’t know the severity of the injury, admitted it was difficult to see Harty get hurt but noted the show must go on.

“When you’ve got a guy who goes down early in the first practice, it’s kind of tough for both sides,” Jones said. “(You’ve got) the coaches and the planning and all the packages that you’ve talked about doing and then all of a sudden you’ve got to go back to Square 1 and see where you’re at. That’s the nature of football, so we’ve got find out our next option.”