Duron Carter is a receiver at heart, but he’s enjoying improving as a defensive back.

“I’m always a receiver from the get-go, but I’m definitely getting more comfortable in my technique, just staying in my backpedal and listening to Coach [Jason] Shivers. Second-year being in the same system, knowing what the coaches expect of me, being in the same city two years in a row, I’m more on the vet side than on the young guy side now,” Carter said.

“Guys get me a lot of times, but I have good recovery speed and the quarterback has to throw a good ball, he has to throw it out there because any ball that’s short, any ball that’s off I’m going to be there.”

Carter has four receptions for 45 yards in five games on the season after recording 1,043 yards and eight touchdowns earning a CFL All-Star selection at receiver in 2017. He has 10 tackles and an interception return for a touchdown plus one knockdown the charismatic playmaker remembers well.

There was just under two minutes left on the second quarter clock against Hamilton in Week 6, Jeremiah Masoli took a quick drop and threw a slant pass for Terrence Toliver, the ball was placed a touch ahead of Toliver’s outstretched arms and fell to the turf.

“In my hands,” Carter exclaimed. “These guys are killing me about it because as a receiver that’s an easy catch but now I’m at DB all of a sudden I can’t catch. I usually spit on my hands before the play and that specific play I didn’t have any spit, I was a little bit tired – it went right through my hands, it won’t happen again.”

For the home-and-home set with the Ticats, Carter was locked on Toliver who caught three balls in each outing for 70 and 23 yards respectively.

“That’s a credit to Coach Jones, I can say every time we’ve played Hamilton we’ve had a little different game plan. That’s a credit to him staying late nights in the facility trying to figure out what we’re going to do and it takes the players to come out and execute. We got new plays on defence the night before the game,” Carter said.

“Whatever position I’m in to be successful. With his talents it gave me time to look at the quarterback and pressure them away from throwing deep to our side and going down to check routes, it works. Teams don’t really throw deep to our side too many times when I’m out there so we’re stopping people from scoring touchdowns.”

As Carter settles in at defensive back it’s becoming increasingly dull.

“It’s kind of boring. The first game they threw a few passes my way took a few shots, but this game they didn’t take any shots at me, they threw a few curls and that was it. For me it was kind of boring – I’m glad we got the win,” Carter said.

There is much more action on offence where Carter especially wants to get in the game once the Riders get in the red zone. When the time comes for Carter to bounce back to the offensive side of the football he’ll be ready and doesn’t care who is pulling the trigger.

“I’ve had a plethora of quarterbacks throughout my career so there is no difference,” Carter said.

“In practice, I play receiver sometimes switching back and forth and I don’t miss a beat.”