A source told NFL.com's Ian Rapoport that although defensive end Andre Carter was in the New England Patriots' locker room Wednesday, no deal is imminent between the two sides.
Carter has been rehabbing a torn quadriceps injury he sustained in Week 14 last season.
Rapoport also confirmed a report by Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston that the Patriots informed defensive end Markell Carter on Thursday that he has been released.
A sixth-round pick out of Central Arkansas in 2011, Markell Carter had three tackles in preseason before he was released and re-signed to the practice squad. According to a source with knowledge of Carter's contract, the Patriots increased his practice squad salary rate from the standard $5,700 per week to $8,820 per week last November. The following month, that rate was increased to $18,000 per week.
Following the club's loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI, Carter was signed to a one-year "Reserve/Futures" contract that included a base salary of $390,000 and a $20,000 workout bonus.
The 6-foot-4, 252-pound Carter had 16.5 sacks during his 42-game career at Central Arkansas and has the length and athleticism teams look for in pass rushers.
Carter is very much a project at this point, and the offseason additions of Jonathan Fanene, Trevor Scott, Chandler Jones, Dont'a Hightower and Jake Bequette would have cut into the number of reps for Carter during training camp and the preseason. Releasing Carter now allows him an opportunity to latch on elsewhere and frees up a valuable spot on the Patriots' 90-man roster.
