Colts sign cornerback Tony Carter

Earlier today, the Indianapolis Colts made several roster moves, signing safety Dewey McDonald to the active roster and waiving inside linebacker Amarlo Herrera and cornerback Shaun Prater.  That left an open spot on their 53-man roster, but the Colts filled it a few hours later with another cornerback in signing Tony Carter.  The Colts also filled one of their practice squad spots, signing quarterback Matt Blanchard.

Carter is a 5-9, 175 pound corner who has played six seasons in the NFL, including the last four with the Denver Broncos.  He was originally signed by the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2009, played two games with the team in his rookie season, and then spent the 2010 season with the New England Patriots, playing in two games.  Then from 2011-2014 he was again with the Broncos, playing in 38 games (starting two).  In his career, Carter has played in 42 games (3 starts) and has recorded 42 tackles, 22 passes defensed, three picks, three fumble recoveries, and a touchdown.  He has also contributed with six special teams tackles.

The Colts have undergone a lot of changes at their cornerback position this year due to injuries, but this move was one that wasn't necessitated by injury but was instead about trying to upgrade some of their depth.  They swapped out Shaun Prater for Tony Carter, basically.  Vontae Davis, Greg Toler, and Darius Butler are obviously the top three on the depth chart, but we've seen the importance of having good depth so far this season for the Colts.  Though Davis, Toler, Butler, and Josh Thomas are all healthy, it's not a bad idea to try to continually improve depth when healthy rather than scrambling when injuries hit.  The move of Carter gives them more depth at the position in a guy who has played several years in the NFL, while also providing a player who can contribute on special teams if need be.