Matt Carter walks out on Lions

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SammyGreene
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From LU in today's Province:
The Lions had a roster overload a week ago but the departure of rookie WR Matt Carter from the practice roster on the weekend has left them with two openings. The Kelowna native was stuck behind non-imports Greg Hetherington and Lyle Green at training camp. Carter's agent, Darren Gill, said his client would consider rejoining the Lions next year if another team doesn't give him a chance this season. Currently the practice roster includes DBs Trestin George and Tang Bacheyie, LB Courtney Smith, WR Terence Scott and exempt junior RB Andrew Harris.
WTF?
I know 2009 was considered a weak draft class but the 5th overall pick and top ranked receiver walking away from his practice roster spot is a tough pill to swallow. Surely one of the 7 other teams will sign him unless he is really that questionable of a prospect.
Perhaps Wally didn't expect Greg Hetherington to emerge like he has and make Carter expendable?

And I thought Adam Nicolson was a 1st round bust in 2007. At least he lasted a couple of seasons. :bang:
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Rammer
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Wally would have wanted Carter to stick around and develop like so many other NI's, it just seems that the NI's aren't co-operating with that plan as easily as they once did. Morencie almost went to the Riders and now this. I can see how the dollar figure isn't exactly the amount to live on in the Lower Mainland, or anywhere else for that matter. What may be more frustrating is Hetherington's emergence and knowing that Lyle Green isn't going anywhere soon.
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PigSkin_53
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Maybe Carter thinks he’s special and has some sense of entitlement, that he can’t wait his turn behind veteran talent like Lyle Green, who also waits in the wings to make way for newcomers such as Lumbala and Bwenge at fullback???
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The most he will get is a practice roster spot on another team. Maybe he had a party to go to in Kelowna this weekend.
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JohnHenry wrote:Maybe the Lions should trade him to Wpg for Derick Armstrong?
Maybe they can't anymore seeing he has left them. Unless WB puts him on the active roster, isn't he free to go wherever he wants now?
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B.C.FAN
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I was disappointed to see Carter walk out. He's a good prospect with 4.5 speed but he needs time to learn the pro game, and the only way to do that is by practising every day. If another club tried to sign him off the practice roster, it would be a different situation. The Lions would be forced to activate him or let him go. There is no upside to this situation for him or the Lions.
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I can't say I understand Carter's thinking. He's one of only 2 receivers on the PR and the only NI receiver. That means he's potentially only 1 hit or injury away from being activated and we're only one game into the season?!?!?!?

If I'm interpreting the CBA correctly things aren't quite as simple as Carter just walking away to be a FA. To do so he first must notify the Lions in writing that he is terminating the Practice Roster Agreement. From that point he still remains BC property obstensibly on the PR for up to 48 hours. During that 48 hours the Lions can execute the original contract Carter had signed. If they don't he'd be a FA. If they do they have to pay him for the next game as per the terms of that contract. I presume this means they could add him to the 46 man roster to retain his rights. Buono may opt to do that if anything to buy some time to trade him. Depending on the outcome of Friday's injuries he may have the flexibility to do just that.
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Interesting - maybe Carter has some connections within another CFL team and thinks he has a shot to dress and/or play with one of them, instead of hanging out on the BC PR? While it's nice to see a young draft pick stick with the team that drafted him, develop and eventually step-in to contribute, you also can't blame a guy for going where he thinks he has a shot to play and make more coin doing so. Carter had one of the best sets of testing numbers for receivers that's been put up at the CFL Combine in years, plus he has nice pro receiver size, and was a CIS all-star slotback (he & Hetherington were the 2 2nd team all-CIS slots in 06) - maybe he had lofty expectations to make the CFL right away and thinks he has a better shot elsewhere (after reading Wally's writing history on the wall :wink: ), but disappointing to lose a 1st round draft pick so early. Maybe Jamall Lee can show-up soon to make up for this - Wally could make him a slotback project with just no openings at tailback. :wink:
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The_Pauser
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Maybe he attended one of Casey Printers's motivational speeches?
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The_Pauser wrote:Maybe he attended one of Casey Printers's motivational speeches?

Maybe he had a chat with Adam Nicholson the other night in Regina?
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SammyGreene
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It's going to get interesting if and when Jamal Lee ends up here from Carolina. If the Lions do indeed intend to develop him into a receiver then he would be a natural for the practice roster, if he accepts it. I sure hope there will be a better effort to hide him rather than let him walk like Matt Carter.
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The_Pauser wrote:Maybe he attended one of Casey Printers's motivational speeches?
This is the funniest thing I've read about CFL'09 so far. Probably a keeper for top 10 of the season.
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TheLionKing
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Seems to me that Carter has a bigger ego than his helmet. Does he realistically expect to start fresh out of university ?
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TheLionKing wrote:Seems to me that Carter has a bigger ego than his helmet. Does he realistically expect to start fresh out of university ?
Maybe he saw how long Josh Boden, Adam Nicholson and Ben Wilson have been stashed on the Practice Roster/Negotiations List/Territorial Protection List. Maybe he saw that he has a limited shelf life as a pro athlete and thought that he might have a better chance to crack another team's roster.
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