Introduction
Don Juan Carey III (born February 14, 1987) is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Norfolk State. He has also been a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Early years
Prior to attending Norfolk State, Carey went to Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, Virginia.
Don's younger brother Donte played defensive back for Grand Valley State, a Division II school in Allendale, Michigan.
Professional career
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
197 lb (89 kg) |
4.60 s | 1.59 s | 2.69 s | 4.20 s | 6.87 s | 32 ⁄2 in (0.83 m) |
10 ft 2 in (3.10 m) |
18 reps | |||
| All values from the NFL Combine/Norfolk State's Pro Day | ||||||||||||
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns selected Carey in the sixth round (177th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft. He was the 24th cornerback drafted in 2009.
On July 14, 2009, the Cleveland Browns signed Carey to a four-year, $1.86 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $116,750.
Throughout training camp, he competed for a roster spot as a backup cornerback against Hank Poteat, Corey Ivy, Gerard Lawson, and Coye Francies. On August 6, 2009, the Cleveland Browns waived Carey due to a shoulder injury.
Jacksonville Jaguars
On August 7, 2009, the Jacksonville Jaguars claimed Carey off of waivers. The Jacksonville Jaguars were criticized for claiming Carey as it was expected the Browns would've placed him on injured reserve after clearing waivers. On September 1, 2009, the Jaguars placed him on injured reserve due to his shoulder injury that kept him sidelined for the remainder of the season.
2010
During training camp, he competed for a roster spot as a backup cornerback against Tyron Brackenridge, William Middleton, Scotty McGee, Josh Gordy, and Chris Hawkins.
2011
Carey was waived by the Jaguars prior to the start of the 2011 season.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions signed Carey on October 25, 2011. He was released on August 20, 2012, andwas re-signed on November 1, 2012 after Bill Bentley was placed on injured reserve. He saw action in nine games (six starts), providing an immediate impact on defense and special teams, totaling 12 special teams tackles (10 solo) to go along with his 27 tackles (19 solo) on defense.
In 2013, Carey was a versatile option at nickel and a source of stability to the Lions secondary and special teams coverage unit. Totaled 19 tackles (16 solo), two pass defenses and finished second on the team in special teams tackles with 11 (eight solo). He had a breakout performance at Pittsburgh on November 17 where he started at linebacker and had a career-high nine tackles.
In 2014, Carey missed only three games due to a hamstring injury, and started three of his 13 games. He finished the season with seven tackles (six solo), one fumble recovery and five special teams tackles. On January 10, 2014, Carey signed a three-year contract extension with the Lions.
In 2015, Carey led the NFL in solo special teams tackles with 14, and tied for second in total special teams tackles with 16. He recorded a special teams tackle in 11 of the 16 games during the season.
Carey signed a one-year contract extension with the Lions through 2017 on November 16, 2016.
Jacksonville Jaguars (second stint)
On March 14, 2018, Carey signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was placed on injured reserve on August 21, 2018 due to a hamstring injury. He was released on August 28, 2018.
Detroit Lions (second stint)
On November 20, 2018, Carey was signed by the Detroit Lions, only to be released three days later.