Tag: Armani Rogers

Commanders invite former XFL tight end to town for a tryout

The Commanders, looking for depth at tight end, have invited a former NFL and XFL tight end to Washington for a tryout.

[connatix div_id=”3f8b015acdd24c648befc5d5dac47469″ player_id=”afe1e038-d3c2-49c0-922d-6511a229f69c” cid=”7cbcea0d-4ce2-4c75-9a8d-fbe02a192c24″]

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.

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.

Logan Thomas upset for Armani Rogers, hopeful for Cole Turner

Logan Thomas will be there for Armani Rogers, believes Cole Turner is “built” for the current offense.

[connatix div_id=”3f8b015acdd24c648befc5d5dac47469″ player_id=”afe1e038-d3c2-49c0-922d-6511a229f69c” cid=”7cbcea0d-4ce2-4c75-9a8d-fbe02a192c24″]

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.

Commanders TE Armani Rogers suffers Achilles injury Tuesday

Tough news for the Commanders.

[connatix div_id=”3f8b015acdd24c648befc5d5dac47469″ player_id=”afe1e038-d3c2-49c0-922d-6511a229f69c” cid=”7cbcea0d-4ce2-4c75-9a8d-fbe02a192c24″]

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.

We’ll have more on Rogers next week.

Commanders 2023 NFL draft prospect profile: Utah TE Dalton Kincaid

Dalton Kincaid could be a difference-maker for Washington’s offense.

The 2023 NFL draft is just over two weeks away, and we here at Commanders Wire will look to profile multiple 2023 prospects daily leading up to day one of the draft.

We will focus on prospects who could be available for Washington and who fit a position of need. Our prospect profiles will not be exclusive to projected first-round picks only but also players who will be selected on the second and third days of the NFL draft.

The Commanders are first on the clock at No. 16 overall.

Today, we profile Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid.

It sounds like Logan Thomas will be a big part of the Commanders’ plans in 2023

The veteran tight end has been mentioned as a possible salary-cap casualty.

It sure sounds like Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas will be back in Washington in 2023.

Thomas, 31, is entering his 10th NFL season and fourth in Washington. Thomas is due to count $8.7 million against the salary cap in 2023. He appeared in 14 games, making 13 starts, and caught 39 passes for 323 yards and a touchdown.

On the surface, those are disappointing numbers. However, when you consider that Thomas tore his ACL in December of the previous year, it was impressive that he was even back on the field for training camp.

As Washington looks to create more salary cap room for 2023, many mentioned Thomas as either a possible cap casualty or someone who could restructure for a lower number next season.

But if we are to take head coach Ron Rivera at face value, Thomas remains a big part of Washington’s plans in 2023.

“I like where that group is headed, I really do,” Rivera told a group of local reporters Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “Logan is coming off that knee, and everybody’s gotta understand that not everybody is Adrian Peterson. Not everybody is gonna come back in eight months. So, he started to play the way that we know he is capable of later in the year. And, so, that’s the guy we are expecting to get when we get to OTAs, minicamp, training camp this year. So, we think it will be a very viable group, we really do.”

Thomas did come back in around eight months, which was impressive, but what Rivera is referring to is Peterson tearing his ACL in December 2011 and coming back the following season, rushing for over 2,000 yards and winning the NFL MVP award.

Thomas could still be a candidate for restructuring, but it’s clear he remains in Washington’s plans. While there was a focus on Thomas’ stats last season, his blocking also took a step back. The Commanders hope Thomas’ blocking will return to its pre-injury form in 2023.

Outside of Thomas, Washington has John Bates [entering year three] and three second-year tight ends in Armani Rogers, Cole Turner and Curtis Hodges.

There are reasons to be excited about the group, but Rogers, Turner and Hodges were all injured for portions of their rookie season. Rogers, the former college quarterback, showed the most promise in his limited opportunities. The Commanders were excited about Turner after last year’s draft.

Rivera is counting on Thomas to return to form in 2023. Thomas is also considered one of Washington’s locker-room leaders, which can never be understated, especially with such a young tight end room.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Should the Commanders spend an early-round pick on a tight end?

Tight end is a sneaky need for the Commanders in 2023. One tight end is turning heads at the Senior Bowl.

On paper, it was hard not to like what the Washington Commanders had at tight end in 2022. Veteran Logan Thomas, coming off an ACL injury, was back and ready for Week 1.

In addition to Thomas, Washington had John Bates entering his second season and a pair of rookies in fifth-round pick Cole Turner and former college quarterback Armani Rogers.

Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned. Thomas looked a step slow last season, which should be expected since he returned to the lineup just nine months after surgery. Washington also had its share of quarterback issues.

But it can’t be ignored that Thomas will be 32 in Week 1 and costs $8.7 million against the salary cap in 2023, per Over the Cap.

As for the other guys, Bates is an excellent blocker and catches about everything but is limited athletically. Turner battled injuries and failed to impress as a rookie, while Rogers stole the show in the summer, forcing his way onto the team. While Rogers flashed in limited opportunities, he also battled a late-season injury. Also, it didn’t appear that former offensive coordinator Scott Turner always knew how best employ Rogers.

All are under contract for 2023.

That begs the question, should Washington consider drafting a tight end in the early rounds of the 2023 NFL draft?

At this week’s Reese’s Senior Bowl, Washington has four coaches in the game, giving them unprecedented access to the talent on both sides. One player who is having a terrific week is Oregon State tight end Luke Musgrave.

At 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, Musgrave has the size teams covet. He is also fast. Really fast. Check this out from Dane Brugler of The Athletic:

He wasn’t one of the top eight fastest tight ends at the Senior Bowl. He was timed as one of the top eight overall fastest players. Musgrave was already considered a day-two prospect, and now teams will dig back into his college film to see if his play speed matches. It will.

Musgrave has good college tape, and there’s no doubt NFL teams will pay close attention to what he does at the NFL combine.

Louis Riddick knows talent, and he’s been impressed.

Washington isn’t going tight end at No. 16. However, if the Commanders trade back as they did last year, tight end becomes a possibility. Still, it’s expected that Washington will go with an offensive lineman or cornerback in round one.

But don’t rule out a tight end in round two. And if Musgrave is on the board in round two, he should absolutely be under consideration for the Commanders. Washington can’t go into 2023 counting on more production from its tight ends. Add another talented body to the group, even if it pushes someone off the roster.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Commanders offense revived, as Washington beats Colts 17-16

The Commanders have now won three in a row thanks to a heroic final quarter from Terry McLaurin and Taylor Heinicke.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”l496tsQhX5-2330586-7498″]

Taylor Heinicke’s one-yard quarterback sneak with 22 seconds remaining gave the Commanders a 17-16 win over the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday.

Leading 7-3 at the half, the Washington offense frankly became anemic and looked rather pathetic for all of the third quarter and well into the final quarter. It was so bad for the Commanders; the Colts outgained Washington 169-22 during the stretch, outscoring the Commanders 13-0 to take a 16-7 lead.

Suddenly, Washington drove 82 yards in 12 plays, using up 6:17 of the clock before Joey Slye’s 28-yard field goal with 4:15 remaining narrowed the deficit to 16-10.

During the drive, Washington had faced 4th & 6 from the Colts’ 48, when Heinicke kept the drive alive, connecting with Curtis Samuel for 18 yards to the Colts’ 30.

On the very next play, Heinicke found tight end Armani Rogers along the left sideline for 13 yards to the Colt 17.

When Daron Payne touched down a sliding Sam Ehlinger just short of a Colt first down, the Colts punted, forcing Washington to begin their final possession 89 yards away at the 11.

Again on a 4th & 1, Heinicke again found Samuel, this time for 12 yards up to the 32. Washington called timeout at 1:26 remaining.

Heinicke scrambled for 9 yards and a first down up to the 45. In addition, he got out of bounds, stopping the clock with 1:16 remaining. He made perhaps his best pass of the day on the next play to Cam Sims for 21 yards to the Colts’ 34 with the clock running down to 41 seconds when the ball was again snapped.

On that snap, Heinicke heaved a pass up that Terry McLaurin literally seized at the Colts’ 1, setting the stage for Heinicke’s winning touchdown on the sneak.

The win was the third consecutive for the Commanders evening their record at 4-4. Who would have thought it possible just three weeks ago?

Commanders tight end Logan Thomas expected to play Sunday, per Adam Schefter

Taylor Heinicke could be getting one of his top weapons back Sunday vs. the Colts.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”8lWMJZxQgl-2322567-7498″]

The Washington Commanders will be without rookie wide receiver Jahan Dotson for the fourth consecutive game Sunday in Indianapolis.

However, in some good injury news for the Commanders, veteran tight end Logan Thomas is expected to play, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Thomas, who tore his ACL last December, returned in time for Washington’s Week 1 game against Jacksonville. However, he injured his calf at some point during or after Washington’s Week 4 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He is listed as questionable on the injury report for Sunday’s game against the Colts, but there was optimism on Friday regarding Thomas’ availability for Sunday.

In four games this season, Thomas has 13 receptions for 106 yards and one touchdown. His presence gives quarterback Taylor Heinicke a key red-zone weapon back for this week.

It will be interesting to see how much playing time rookie Armani Rogers receives. Rogers caught a career-high three passes in last week’s win over the Packers.

Commanders tight end Cole Turner ruled out with a concussion

Unfortunate news for Turner and Washington’s tight ends.

[mm-video type=video id=01gg356mwhzszbccr0wm playlist_id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gg356mwhzszbccr0wm/01gg356mwhzszbccr0wm-d61006fd5aebb2a6dbad7f09222d91a0.jpg]

Injuries continue to mount for the Washington Commanders at the tight end position.

Just before halftime of their Week 7 game against the Green Bay Packers, rookie tight end Cole Turner went high for a Taylor Heinicke pass, which was broken up by Packers safety Adrian Amos. However, Turner landed hard on the ground, where he remained for a few minutes.

As Turner went into the locker room, the team gave an update on his injury and status for the remainder of the game. Turner is ruled out with a concussion.

Washington came into the game without starting tight end Logan Thomas, who missed his third consecutive game with an injured calf. Backup John Bates was on the injury report all week with a hamstring injury but did play.

With Turner out, we should see plenty of fellow rookie Armani Rogers in the second half.

Rookie tight end Cole Turner will make his NFL debut Sunday

Expect multiple tight-end sets for the Commanders on Sunday.

When the Washington Commanders selected tight end Cole Turner in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft, head coach Ron Rivera couldn’t contain his excitement. Rivera gushed over Turner multiple times after the draft and in the offseason.

When training camp began and starting tight end Logan Thomas was on the PUP list, an opportunity emerged for the rookie. When Thomas’ backup, John Bates, also battled an injury, Turner was Washington’s top tight end at times this summer. He took advantage of those opportunities, earning praise from his coaches and teammates.

Unfortunately for Turner, he injured his hamstring in the second week of camp and missed all of the preseason. That opened the door for undrafted rookie Armani Rogers, who also impressed.

In the first four weeks of the season, the Commanders kept three tight ends active: Thomas, Bates and Rogers.

Thomas appeared on the injury report Friday with a calf injury and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. That means Turner will make his NFL debut Sunday, according to Rivera.

While one would presume Turner will be active as an insurance policy, Rivera insisted that’s not the case. Wide receiver Jahan Dotson is out for the game, so the Commanders will use more big sets with multiple tight ends, meaning Turner gets a shot.

If Thomas plays, Washington can run multiple sets with at least two tight ends. The Commanders could also use three tight ends, which serves multiple purposes to help a struggling and injured offensive line. Also, quarterback Carson Wentz loves throwing to tight ends.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=none image=https://commanderswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]