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Meet Kerry Carter

Kerry Carter is one of the Redskins you're probably not all that familiar with. Although he was likely a Roster Deadline casualty (given how unnecessarily crowded our backfield was in 2006) anyways, any question about Carter's status were answered in last year's pre-season game against the Bengals. Per the Official Site:

Carter's first real test, though, would come Aug. 13, as the Redskins opened their preseason at Cincinnati.
Late in the first half at Paul Brown Stadium, Carter took a handoff from quarterback Todd Collins and had to cut back to avoid a Bengals tackler. His right knee suddenly buckled, and he fell to the ground untouched.

Carter had suffered a severe knee ligament injury, and just like that, his season was over.

A few days later, the Redskins offered him an injury settlement. He was given a roster designation that allowed him to stay with the team.

And he's been rehabbing since, spending much of this year's offseason working out with teammate Pierson Prioleau, also recovering from injury. Fact is, even if he makes a full recovery, Carter likely won't end up with the team -- and knows it:
Carter faces another uphill climb in 2007.

Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts and Rock Cartwright remain ahead of him on the depth chart. He continues to work closely with running backs coach Earnest Byner, but he knows he is a long-shot to make the roster.

"E.B. has helped me out so much with my game and I can really see myself starting to get it, starting to pick it up," Carter said.

For now, Carter wants to get fully healthy and carve himself a niche on special teams.

"In a situation like this, you have to find your place, your role," he said. "You have to try to push at that point. I know that special teams is going to be important for me. Obviously, at the running back position, we're talented and deep there.

"I feel like if I can get back into the mix and contribute, I can help make a difference."

Love the attitude and I think these types of players do have serious value on an NFL franchise. He knows his role, knows where he stands relative to his teammates and within his position, and will do whatever it takes to contribute (and thus retain value to the team) anywhere he can.

Is he going to do that? I'm skeptical, though let's give the guy a chance and see what happens. You never know what's going to go down with injuries, or whether a guy will all of a sudden light it up in the offseason and impress some coaches, or whatever. Stranger things have happened in the NFL than Kerry Carter making the final roster of the Washington Redskins.