Second-year Commanders tight end Armani Rogers suffered a non-contact injury during the team’s OTA session Tuesday, and an MRI revealed a serious setback.
Rogers sustained an Achilles tear, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The UDFA pass catcher is expected to undergo surgery next week. Although players have recovered from offseason Achilles tears in time for late-season returns — Cam Akers, Michael Crabtree, Terrell Suggs, to name three — this development obviously threatens to sideline Rogers until the 2024 campaign and deals a major blow to a young player’s chances of carving out a role.
Washington used Rogers on 158 offensive snaps last season; he made three starts. The son of ex-NFL linebacker Sam Rogers, Armani joined the Commanders after five college seasons (at UNLV and Ohio). He stood to vie for a spot as one of Logan Thomas‘ backups. Rogers caught five passes for 64 yards last season.
The Commanders have Thomas signed through 2024 and carry third-year tight end John Bates and 2022 fifth-round pick Cole Turner. Bates logged 510 offensive snaps last year, while Turner played 245 as a rookie.
Ban ligament tears!