Colts frontrunners for CFL star WR Duron Carter

Canadian Football League standout Duron Carter can't sign with an NFL team until Feb. 10, but a source with knowledge of the situation said the Colts remain one of the frontrunners for the services of the former Ohio State and Alabama receiver.

The other team to watch: The Minnesota Vikings, the former team of Carter's father, Hall-of-Fame receiver Cris Carter.

The Colts hosted Carter for a visit earlier this month and continue to have dialogue with him, but it's still too early to predict where Carter will ultimately wind up.

Carter, according to the source, is drawn to Indianapolis for obvious reasons: The presence of three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Andrew Luck and one of the NFL's best passing offenses. Carter and his agent have expressed his legitimate interest in playing for the Colts to the team's front office.

But immediate playing time is also important to Carter, and there remains uncertainty about where he would initially fit in with the Colts. Financial details will also play a role in what Carter ultimately decides.

The Colts remain sincerely interested in landing Carter and team officials have been in regular contact with him. As many as 15 teams are reported to expressed interest in Carter, but the Colts appear to have the edge.

Carter can agree to terms with an NFL team at any point, but he cannot sign a contract until Feb. 10 per a CFL-NFL agreement.

An interesting aside here: Carter already has relationships with players who are currently on the Colts' roster. Linebacker Jonathan Newsome was a close friend during the time the two spent at Ohio State. And running back Trent Richardson knows Carter from the year he spent at Alabama.

Carter posted 1,939 receiving yards in two CFL seasons with Montreal after opting for Canada when he went undrafted in 2013. But teams will be leery about Carter's character, with disciplinary and academic issues contributing to his bouncing from school to school during his college days.

Wide receiver is a need for the Colts considering the expiring contracts of Reggie Wayne and Hakeem Nicks. Wayne is weighing retirement and it's unclear whether Nicks will be re-signed.

Follow Star reporter Stephen Holder on Twitter: @HolderStephen.