As an undrafted free agent, it's every player's dream to make enough of an impression on a coaching staff in training camp to receive a 53-man roster spot. And for the thousands of players on NFL rosters, only a select few of these surface every offseason--and the window isn't always super large.
In the Atlanta Falcons' case, one of those camp darlings was running back Nate Carter--who was one of their top UDFAs from the 2025 class. He won the Falcons' RB3 battle in the preseason last summer, and he spent his entire rookie season as the team's RB3 behind Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier
However, the new regime didn't have the same soft spot for Carter that Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot did. They brought in competition for him in both undrafted rookie Cash Jones and Tyler Goodson--and Nate the Great was out-performed by both of them at every turn throughout camp.
When the Falcons rostered just two RBs--Bijan and Brian Robinson Jr.--it became clear the 24-year-old had no future in Atlanta. Compared to Goodson and Jones, who stuck around on the practice squad, he had to adjust--but he quickly found a new home with a new team.
Ex-Falcon Nate Carter signed with the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad
Carter reportedly signed with the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad, where he'll be injury insurance behind running backs Kenneth Walker III, Emmett Johnson, and Brashard Smith after Kansas City dropped Emari Demercado during final roster cuts.
We have signed the following players to the Practice Squad:
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 1, 2026
RB Nate Carter
T Ethan Driskell
CB Kader Kohou
FB Ben VanSumeren pic.twitter.com/PnOX12lMme
And for the former Michigan State standout, landing with the Chiefs is going to offer a bit of a Spartan reunion. Walker's path crossed through East Lansing, as did fellow new Chiefs practice-squadder Ben Van Sumeren--so I guess whoever said Spartan Dawgs don't have a home was wrong--even if No. 38 played for more dysfunctional Michigan State teams than either of his new teammates.
Carter recorded just nine carries for 60 yards with the Falcons as a rookie, which isn't too shabby for a player who was buried behind the depth chart. And given playing him would've been siphoning snaps from arguably the NFL's best running back (and RB tandem), it's not surprising he hardly saw the field on offense. But he has proven to be a valuable special teamer.
In Kansas City, Nate Carter is looking for a second wind where hopefully former NFL star and new RBs coach DeMarco Murray will help his development. And if that is only establishing himself as a quality depth back like he was in Atlanta, that's exceeding expectations relative to his career trajectory.
He turned heads for a new coaching staff once, so maybe the scenery change can help him do so again and preserve his NFL future.
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