MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- The Minnesota Vikings finalized a deal Thursday with former Pro Bowl cornerback Dale Carter just two days after he was reinstated by the NFL following a 19-month suspension.
According to ESPN, the 31-year-old Carter has agreed to a one-year, $500,000 contract that will be prorated over the balance of the season, with Carter receiving $29,411 for every game he is on the roster.
A four-time Pro Bowler, Carter was suspended by the league last spring for repeat violations of the substance abuse policy. Carter and agent Mitch Frankel insisted that the player had not tested positive but instead missed a scheduled screening, which was viewed by the league as the equivalent of a positive test.
Months after signing a six-year, $34.8 million contract with the Denver Broncos in 1999, Carter violated the substance abuse policy for the third time. Shortly after his first season with the Broncos, Carter again violated the policy, mandating a one-year suspension.
The New York Jets and Oakland Raiders also are believed to have shown interest in Carter.
Selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 1992 draft, Carter has played in 118 games, starting 102 of them. He has 461 tackles and 23 interceptions and played in the Pro Bowl following the 1994-1997 seasons.
