PHILADELPHIA -- If DeAndre Carter is released again, at this point he at least knows exactly how that conversation will go. He's heard it enough times.
He's be called into the head coach's office. He's complimented for his work ethic, for coming to work every day and doing his job. Maybe he'll be told he did a great job but ... the team decided to move in another direction.
Carter has been waived six times by four NFL teams. He knows the drill, even if he despises it.
The Eagles will play on Thursday night against the Jets, and it will be Carter's last chance to prove that he deserves to survive 53-man roster cuts for the first time in his career. The decision will be be final by 4 p.m. on Saturday, at the latest.
Perhaps this time it will happen for Carter, a breakthrough. He has the best case of his career thus far, as he's been the Eagles' second-best wide receiver through three preseason games, trailing only Shelton Gibson in receiving yards. Seven of his eight catches have gone for first downs, too, and he has four catches of 20-plus yards.
The Eagles have been without most of the wide receiver core for all of preseason, including Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor and Mack Hollins.
Carter has filled in admirably.
After all, he's used to being a substitute.
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Carter hit the unemployment line on Sept. 3, 2016 when the Patriots released him. The phones weren't ringing. Carter's NFL journey was on hold
His first offer post-release came from the King Cobras.
The terms: You'll work for us, as needed, across multiple positions -- History teacher, math teacher and English teacher, mainly.
For the 2016-17 school year, Carter traded in his playbook for a chalkboard when he was hired as a substitute teacher at Martin Luther King Middle School in Hayward, Calif.
Without any NFL offers coming in, even for a practice squad, Carter didn't really have any other appealing options.
Teaching was never part of Carter's plan. He earned a degree in mass communications at Sacramento State, not education, and never fancied himself an educator, either.
But Eddie Smith -- Carter's mentor, trainer and "big brother" -- was a guidance counselor at the middle school, and thought Carter should consider working at the school until the next NFL opportunity arose. As a subtitute teacher, it would only be "as needed", anyway.
"Teaching was never something I thought about, really," Carter said. "But going through that experience, it's definitely something I wouldn't mind going back to when I'm done playing ... But I'm not done yet."
The school year had already started by the time Carter was released by the Patriots, but quickly Carter was called upon to take over for a teacher who had an extended leave of absence.
He worked 8 to 3 on weekdays and immediately went to the gym to train and workout, in case an NFL team came calling.
He helped out other classes, as needed, too. Much of his time was spent checking on individual students and making sure they were up to speed on their homework.
They listened him, too. He's NFL player, after all. The students viewed him as the "Cool Sub."
"The kids knew I played football," Carter said. "The influence you can have on a younger generation when you have the platform we have here as NFL players, how you can impact a kids life and turn it around and help him out or pick a kid up that's struggling, it's incredible."
They challenged him to foot races, basketball games and made Carter feel right at home. He was in his element, and it was life-changing.
"I learned a lot about myself during that time," Carter said. "When you get the opportunity to help kids out, especially the area I was in with less fortunate kids.
It's about "taking even one of those kids and turning them in the right direction, helping them out and just giving them somebody that they know will always give them the truth and steer them in the right direction. If you build that trust with the kids, it's a great feeling. It's a great feeling to be able to give back and impact somebody's life like that."
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Carter stood at his FirstEnergy Stadium locker in Cleveland last week after the Eagles' weird 5-0 loss to the Browns and took a moment to reflect on how far he's come.
He's a 5-foot-8 receiver from Sacramento State, an FCS program. He went undrafted and has never made it past the practice squad. He's already 25 and has yet to take an NFL snap. He's been released by the Ravens, Raiders, Patriots and 49ers. He was cut by San Francisco in May and spent the ensuing two months working out in San Jose, his hometown.
Carter only joined the Eagles on July 28, the second of training camp, forcing him to learn an entirely new playbook on the fly. To get ahead, he spent extra time working with receivers coach Gunter Brewer and learning from fourth-year receiver Nelson Agholor.
"Extra effort," Carter said. "That's what it takes to be in this league."
That effort is paying off -- Carter has been playing more in the slot in the absence of Agholor, and he's thriving. Against the Browns, Carter had four catches for 73 yards, including one 29-yard completion from Nate Sudfeld.
"If I'm next up on the depth chart or on a play and the offense has to keep rolling," Carter said. "I'm just trying to do my part."
Added offensive coordinator Mike Groh: "He's picked up the system quickly and earned the trust, I think, of the quarterbacks in being where he's supposed to be when he's supposed to be there. He's worked hard."
Just think -- two years ago, Carter spent an entire football season as a substitute teacher. Now, he has a legitimate shot of making a team that just won the Super Bowl six months ago.
"I'm glad that he's here," Groh added.
Carter wants to be more than just 'here' if that's only for now. He wants to be here for good.
He's not content with being just a fill-in, or substitute, even if he did love being the Cool Sub.
Being a teacher "was an experience that I'm grateful for now looking back on it. I learned a lot about myself.
"I learned a lot about what it takes to make it."
Zack Rosenblatt may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @ZackBlatt. Find NJ.com on Facebook.