The Cardinals elevated Carter from the practice squad to the active roster Saturday.
With Emari Demercado (back) on injured reserve, Trey Benson (ankle) ruled out for Week 16 action and DeeJay Dallas (illness) listed as questionable, there's a chance Carter will serve as the direct backup to James Conner on Sunday at Carolina. Dallas likely will need to be inactive for Carter to get much, if any, run, but he's poised for his first game action of the campaign. In 45 career contests between the Jets and Cardinals, Carter has averaged 4.2 yards on his 291 carries, hauled in 101 of 140 targets for 714 yards and scored eight total touchdowns.
Carter signed with the Cardinals' practice squad Wednesday, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.
Carter joined Arizona last November after he was waived by the Jets and appeared in the team's last six regular-season games. A fourth-round selection in 2021, the North Carolina product will likely need an injury in the Cardinals' running back corps to see the active roster.
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Michael Carter: Waived by Arizona
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Carter was waived by the Cardinals on Tuesday, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.
The running back ended 2023 as James Conner's backup but got bumped lower after the selection of Trey Benson in the 2024 NFL Draft. Carter, a sixth-round pick in 2021, recorded 639 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie with the Jets but has been trending down ever since.
Cardinals' Michael Carter: Competing for role behind Conner
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Carter is competing for standing on Arizona's roster behind starter James Conner, after having ended the 2023 season in the No. 2 role, Jeremy Cluff of the Arizona Republic reports.
Carter totaled 30 carries for 187 yards across 15 regular-season games between the Jets and Cardinals last season, in addition to 24 catches for 101 yards and one touchdown on 31 targets. Now, though, the addition of rookie third-round pick Trey Benson has crowded Arizona's backfield, and Carter is competing for standing alongside Emari Demercado (shoulder) and DeeJay Dallas, in addition to Tony Jones. It would help Carter's case to impress in the preseason, with Saturday's exhibition game against the Colts representing his next chance to do so.
Cardinals' Michael Carter: Ends 2023 as Conner's main backup
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Carter compiled 30 carries for 187 yards and 24 catches (on 31 targets) for 101 yards and one touchdown in 15 games between the Jets and Cardinals during the 2023 season.
After racking up 338 touches in 30 contests for the Jets to begin his career, the 2021 sixth-round pick took a back seat to Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook in New York to kick off this past campaign. Carter subsequently was cut loose by the Jets after Week 10 and promptly was claimed off waivers by the Cardinals. From that point on, he was the Arizona running back called on most behind starter James Conner, averaging a healthy 6.8 yards on 22 rushes. Carter has one year remaining on his rookie contract, so he and Emari Demercado likely will serve as the team's top reserve RBs in 2024.
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Cardinals' Michael Carter: Scores first TD of season
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Carter compiled 61 rushing yards on seven carries and caught a six-yard touchdown on his only target during Sunday's 35-31 win in Philadelphia.
Carter accounted for three of the Cardinals' six longest plays of Week 17, all of them runs (21, 18 and 16 yards). He has been alternating with Emari Demercado as Arizona's primary backup to James Conner, who again dominated the backfield with 27 touches for 133 total yards and two TDs on Sunday. Given the lack of consistent work, Carter will be tough to trust in the team's season finale Sunday versus the Seahawks.
