The Commanders will use one of their 30 pre-draft visits on the Texas star tight end.
The Washington Commanders recently signed veteran tight end Zach Ertz to a one-year deal, and he will likely be the starting tight end in 2024. Ertz proved early in 2023 that he could still play, but he is 33.
Other tight ends on Washington’s roster are John Bates, Cole Turner, and Armani Rogers. Bates is primarily a blocking tight end, while the unproven Turner is more of a big receiver playing tight end. Rogers has the upside but is coming off an Achilles injury that cost him last season.
Therefore, it would make sense that tight end would be a priority for the Commanders in the 2024 NFL draft. Brock Bowers of Georgia is the top prospect but should land somewhere among the top 15 picks. Washington will use its first selection on a quarterback.
Ja’Tavion Sanders of Texas is viewed as the No. 2 tight end in the upcoming draft class. Most view Sanders as a high second-round pick, but he could find his way into the bottom of the first round.
The Commanders like Sanders and, per Ben Standig of The Athletic, will host him on a pre-draft top-30 visit.
Teams are setting up pre-draft "30" visits with prospects. On the Commanders' list, Texas TE Ja'Tavion Sanders, per source.
Typically ranked as TE2 behind Brock Bowers (with a big gap). @dpbrugler's No. 50 overall prospect pre-Combine.
Sanders measured in at 6 feet 4 inches and 245 pounds at the NFL combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.69 seconds. He made several big plays for the Longhorns and finished his final two seasons in Austin with a combined 99 receptions for 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns. The two-time All-Big 12 selection averaged over 15 yards per reception in 2023.
The Commanders add a veteran tight end on Wednesday.
The Washington Commanders released tight end Logan Thomas last week in a salary cap move.
On Wednesday, the Commanders found his replacement, signing veteran tight end Zach Ertz to a one-year deal that could earn him up to $5 million.
Ertz, 33, was the Philadelphia Eagles’ second-round pick out of Stanford in 2013. Ertz spent 8.5 seasons with the Eagles before being traded to the Arizona Cardinals in 2021. Ertz was waived in November.
Three-time Pro Bowl TE Zach Ertz is signing with the #Commanders on a one-year deal worth up to $5 million, per source.
Ertz’s coming to Washington reunites him with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Kingsbury was Arizona’s head coach for Ertz’s first two seasons with the Cardinals.
It also reunites him with Washington’s quarterback coach, Tavita Pritchard. Pritchard was a senior during Ertz’s freshman season at Stanford and was part of the coaching staff for his final three seasons with the Cardinal.
Ertz becomes the most experienced player in the Commanders’ tight end room, which features John Bates and rising third-year players Armani Rogers and Cole Turner. Rogers missed last season with an Achilles injury, while Turner played sporadically. Washington will almost certainly look toward the draft to add to the group, too.
Ertz was a three-time Pro Bowler with the Eagles. When traded to the Cardinals, he was 30 and produced good numbers under Kingsbury. In 11 games with Arizona in 2021, Ertz caught 56 passes for 574 yards and three touchdowns. In 2022, Ertz had 47 receptions for 406 yards and four touchdowns in only 10 games. Ertz suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 10 after signing a three-year extension earlier that year.
He returned in 2023, catching 27 passes in seven games before he requested his release in November.
Ertz has enjoyed success against Washington over his career. He has 93 receptions for 888 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games.
The Commanders badly need help at tight end. Here are five prospects to watch at the NFL combine.
The Washington Commanders can use help everywhere in 2024. Washington likely goes quarterback at No. 2 overall, but somewhere during April’s NFL draft, the Commanders must address the tight end position.
Washington missed an opportunity last season to land a tight end in a historically deep class. However, while the 2024 class isn’t as deep, there are multiple future starters at the position.
The Commanders have veteran Logan Thomas, who has started the past four seasons. Thomas is over 30 and is a cut candidate. Armani Rogers has potential but missed the season with an Achilles injury. Washington will address the position, whether it’s free agency, the draft, or perhaps both.
Here are five tight ends to watch for the Commanders this weekend at the combine. Tight ends have their on-field workouts on Friday.
Rogers was lost for the season with an Achilles’ injury during OTAs.
The Washington Commanders lost a potentially critical piece of their offense on the first day of OTAs in the spring when second-year tight end Armani Rogers injured his Achilles.
Under new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, the tight ends would be featured in the offense. And behind veteran starter Logan Thomas, Rogers, a former college quarterback, had the highest upside of Washington’s young tight ends.
After making the team as an undrafted free agent last summer, Rogers played a limited role in the offense but delivered in his rare opportunities.
The Commanders have gotten solid production from Thomas, John Bates and Cole Turner through two games.
On Friday, Commanders head coach Ron Rivera gave an update on Rogers.
“Armani’s a gym rat,” Rivera said. “He loves it. It’s so unfortunate because the young man did such a great job his rookie year. It’d been great to have him available for us, but unfortunately, we don’t. But yeah, he is around. He’s actually got the boot off now, and they’ve been working him, so it’s good to see him coming by and spending some time. I think he’s even popped into the meetings a couple times, which he doesn’t have to be at. I think just being here and being around the guys is a big deal too.”
That’s a positive update. While Rogers isn’t returning to the field this year, the good news is he’s on the right track and is hopefully cleared before offseason workouts begin next spring.
Most importantly, Rogers remains around the team, taking mental reps and learning Bieniemy’s offense.
The Commanders will open camp with three quarterbacks on the roster.
The Washington Commanders begin training camp on Wednesday. Washington was busy leading up to camp, signing two veterans, kicker Michael Badgley and wide receiver Byron Pringle.
The two new additions put the Commanders over the 90-man roster limit, meaning moves must be made before camp officially begins.
The first move was obvious: Washington placed second-year tight end Armani Rogers on season-ending injured reserve. Rogers injured his Achilles at the start of OTAs and has already undergone surgery.
The second move saw the Commanders waive undrafted rookie quarterback Tim DeMorat. DeMorat signed with Washington after the 2023 NFL draft out of Fordham.
In corresponding moves, the Commanders have also placed TE Armani Rogers on IR and released QB Tim DeMorat. https://t.co/CVh143aPXj
This means the Commanders will only have three quarterbacks in training camp. Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett, who are competing for the starting position, and Jake Fromm. It wouldn’t be a shock if the Commanders added another passer to get through the remainder of camp.
The Washington Commanders entered the offseason feeling pretty good about their tight ends. With Logan Thomas, John Bates, Cole Turner, Armani Rogers and Curtis Hodges on the roster, there was a nice mix of experience, size, blocking ability and explosiveness.
Unfortunately, an Achilles injury ended Rogers’ season on the first day of OTAs. The former college quarterback was the most explosive of Washington’s tight ends, but despite the loss, the Commanders believe the group is healthier and improved from last year.
The group also has a new coach. Juan Castillo coached Washington’s tight ends last season, and while he still holds that title, he’ll help out former assistant offensive line coach Travelle Wharton on the offensive line in 2023. Wharton replaced John Matsko as Washington’s offensive line coach.
Todd Storm was promoted to assistant tight ends coach last season after spending two years as a quality control assistant. Now, Storm will lead the room in 2023.
The Commanders have yet to hand out any new coaching titles until the ownership transition occurs. Still, Storm recently spoke with JP Finlay of NBC 4 in Washington, D.C., and believes he has a strong group heading into training camp.
“I’m really excited about this group; we had five guys, we’ve got four guys now after losing Armani Rogers,” Storm said. We got tall, long, athletic guys that can make plays.”
Some thought Thomas could be a salary-cap casualty. Head coach Ron Rivera never considered moving on from Thomas, believing he was fully healthy at the end of last season, and that would carry over into 2023.
“He’s a great leader for our room,” Storm said of Thomas. “He does things the right way. He stays in his book; he’s studying. When he’s out on the field, he leads by example. He finishes plays; he’s finishing downfield with blocks.”
Most importantly, Storm says Thomas is fully healthy.
“I have nothing but good things to say about Logan. He looks like he was in 2020. He’s healthy.”
Some forget about Bates because he doesn’t put up eye-popping numbers, but Storm understands his importance to the offense.
“He’s a complete tight end,” Storm said of Bates. “He hasn’t gotten a ton of opportunities over the years, but he can do it. You can see it on the tape. He’s where he’s supposed to be when he’s supposed to be there…….he’s going to play in the NFL for a long time.”
While Thomas and Bates are seemingly the top two on the depth chart, Turner is one of Washington’s most critical offensive players in 2023. After bursting on the scene in OTAs and early in training camp last year, a hamstring injury prematurely ended Turner’s preseason. When he returned, he suffered a concussion that cost him more time.
Like Thomas, Turner is completely healthy and was outstanding throughout OTAs in the spring.
“He’s got a lot of work to do, but he’s working hard,” Storm said. “His ability to get in and out of breaks is really good……he has a really good feel for defense and coverage and where he fits in the concept. And he’s got top-tier ball skills.”
Don’t forget about Hodges.
“He’s huge,” Storm said of Hodges. “Another guy that has a ton of upside. The room is exciting…….I’m fired up for this season.”
Storm made sure to tell Finlay how appreciative he was of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy for trusting him with the opportunity to lead the tight ends.
It’s understandable that people felt the Commanders didn’t do enough at tight end in the offseason. They are banking on a lot of things to go right. But if things do go right, this position may not be as weak as some presume it to be in 2023.
The 2023 NFL draft class had unprecedented depth at tight end. Quality players could be found throughout all seven rounds of the draft. Yet, the Washington Commanders did not choose one tight end.
That shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Remember how head coach Ron Rivera praised the group ahead of the draft? He believed Logan Thomas was finally fully healthy this offseason and loved the young players behind Thomas [John Bates, Armani Rogers, Cole Turner and Curtis Hodges].
Coaches and players were excited about Rogers, the former college quarterback, who flashed in limited opportunities as a rookie last season. However, he’s not the only second-year tight end with potential. Cole Turner, a fifth-round selection in 2022, had everyone talking last summer before a hamstring injury killed his momentum.
Early through the OTAs, Turner is turning heads again, leaving Washington optimistic about the tight end position in 2023.
With new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, tight end is an important position in his offense. In speaking to the press last week, Bieniemy acknowledged as much while also letting everyone know he liked the current group.
“You know what the tight end room is doing a heck of a job,” Bieniemy said. “Coach Todd Storm has done a hell of a job with those guys. I mean, Logan [Thomas], [John] Bates, Cole [Turner], Curtis [Hodges]. Those guys are doing a heck of a job. In fact, those guys have stood out for all the right reasons.”
While Bieniemy comes across as overly positive in his assessment of the room, he isn’t shy about getting after his players for not producing on the field. So if he says he’s happy with the current group, it’s worth noting.
“Obviously, in this offense, it’s always been a tight end-friendly offense,” Bieniemy said. “Those guys, they show up, they’re making plays, and the quarterbacks have been doing a great job of locating them in the passing game. So far, so good. Like I said, these guys are hardworking, got a lot of veterans in that group. I think from top down, the depth is pretty good, and I’m just proud of where we are at this particular point in time.”
Bieniemy is assuming full health, obviously. Losing Rogers was a difficult blow. Washington would have likely carried four tight ends if Rogers was healthy with him, Thomas, Bates and Turner as the four.
If Thomas can return to full health and Turner emerges as a solid threat, Bieniemy will be proven right in his assessment to remain patient at the position in the offseason.
It’s been a tough week for the Washington Commanders’ tight end room. On Tuesday — the first day of OTAs — promising second-year tight end Armani Rogers injured his Achilles in a non-contact drill and will undergo surgery soon. Rogers is already lost for the season.
Under new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, the tight end position is a critical part of the offense, and Rogers had the highest upside of anyone in the room. The Commanders also like fellow second-year tight end Cole Turner, but Rogers, a former college quarterback, is an elite athlete the team believed was on the verge of a breakout in 2023.
Washington is counting on veteran Logan Thomas to bounce back in 2023 after injuries have plagued him the last two seasons. While Thomas was healthy last season, he was still less than one year removed from ACL surgery. The Commanders also have John Bates, Turner and Curtis Hodges on the roster.
But with Rogers down, Washington may be looking to add another veteran into the mix this summer for training camp. Jake Russell of The Washington Post reported Friday that the team had invited Brandon Dillon, formerly of the XFL’s Vegas Vipers, to Ashburn for a tryout.
The Commanders have invited Vegas Vipers tight end Brandon Dillon for a tryout.
Meanwhile, D.C. Defenders wide receiver Chris Blair and tight end Briley Moore-McKinney will both try out for the Titans.
Dillon is a 6-foot-5, 250-pounder who played collegiately at Marian University in Indianapolis. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2019, where he spent three seasons. After being waived in Dec. 2021, the Jets signed Dillon to the practice squad, but he never played for them.
In 2022, Dillon signed with the New Orleans Saints in June but was waived in August. From there, he spent the spring in the XFL.
During his short NFL career, Dillon has appeared in five games with one reception for six yards.
Dillon would be a depth signing for Washington, and he’d likely be competing with Hodges for a roster spot this summer.
Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas has seen it all. The soon-to-be 32-year-old former star college quarterback is entering his 10th NFL season in 2023.
After signing an extension with the Commanders in 2021, Thomas, unfortunately, suffered a pair of injuries that season that landed him on injured reserve. The second of which was a torn ACL in a December game at Las Vegas on a cheap and dirty hit.
Thomas returned in 2022, less than nine months after the injury. However, he was never fully healthy for Washington and didn’t look like the same player pre-injury.
On Tuesday, when Washington opened OTAs, Thomas was nearby when second-year tight end Armani Rogers injured his Achilles and was lost for the foreseeable future.
“It hurt my heart,” Thomas said via Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. “It hurt it a lot. We were standing right behind him when it happened and obviously saw the whole thing. Heard the whole thing, which was even scarier. But I talked to him yesterday and told him that there’s going to be some dark days, and when those days come, my number’s available. Call me.”
That’s leadership. And that leadership is one of the reasons head coach Ron Rivera wanted to bring Thomas back in 2023 when many felt he’d be a release or restructure candidate. That and Rivera believes Thomas was healthier toward the end of the season and playing much better.
Losing Rogers is a tough blow for the Commanders. Washington ignored a historically deep tight end class in the NFL draft because it liked the young group it had behind Thomas, in John Bates, Rogers, Cole Turner and Curtis Hodges.
Thomas has a lot in common with Rogers. Rogers is also a former successful college quarterback, making the transition to tight end with the Commanders last offseason after signing as an undrafted free agent. There was excitement about Rogers because of his upside.
The other young tight end the Commanders are most excited about is Turner. The fifth-round pick in 2022 missed a lot of time last season with a hamstring injury and a concussion. He was turning heads early in training camp before injuring his hamstring and falling behind.
Rivera often praised Turner last year.
Thomas likes what he sees.
“He’s doing a great job,” Thomas said. “He’s one of those guys that’s kind of built for an offense like this, where he doesn’t really have to stretch the field, but he can use his quickness, use his hands.”
While not quite as athletic as Rogers, Turner also has a big frame and understands how to use his body to shield off defenders, which should make him an excellent red-zone threat in Eric Bieniemy’s offense.
Washington’s tight end depth took a big hit Tuesday. Now the Commanders are counting on Thomas returning to form and another young player stepping up in his second season.
The tight end position is critical in Bieniemy’s offense, so there will be opportunities.
The Washington Commanders opened OTAs Tuesday with mostly positive reviews, focusing on quarterback Sam Howell and the offense.
Head coach Ron Rivera met with the media Wednesday morning and informed the media that second-year tight end Armani Rogers suffered a non-contact Achilles injury Tuesday.
Rivera said he would be evaluated further next week, and there was no timetable for his return.
“It’s unfortunate,” Ron Rivera said, per John Keim of ESPN. “The young man progressed well for us last year. We feel confident in the group of tight ends.”
Rogers, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound former college quarterback, impressed as an undrafted free agent last offseason, forcing his way onto the final roster with a strong offseason. Rogers was slated for a more significant role in new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s offense.
Rogers is one of three second-year tight ends on Washington’s roster, along with Cole Turner and Curtis Hodges. All three dealt with an injury last season. With Logan Thomas and John Bates atop the depth chart at tight end, the Commanders will be looking for one of the young tight ends to step up this offseason. Turner was a fifth-round selection in 2022 and was impressive early in training camp before being sidelined with a hamstring injury.
