Armani Rogers’ switch to tight end has Commanders bullish: ‘I’m so excited about where he’s going’

ASHBURN — Three years ago at a UNLV game, Eric Stokes couldn’t help but notice that the Rebels’ quarterback reminded him of Cam Newton. 

Armani Rogers, like Newton, stood 6-foot-5. He wore the No. 1 jersey. Even the eyes were similar, with Rogers scanning the field like Newton, looking to attack.

Stokes, then the Carolina Panthers director of college scouting, thought Rogers had the kind of skills, size and speed that were worth keeping track of — even if it meant playing another position in the NFL. 

“It was too far away to see what he could actually evolve into,” said Stokes, who is now Washington’s senior director of player personnel.

That 2019 hunch proved to be prescient.

Rogers made it to the NFL, and he did change positions, from quarterback to tight end — a familiar path for some college quarterbacks looking to break in at the next level. 

What Stokes didn’t predict, though, was how quickly the 24-year-old would grasp the new role after signing with Washington as an undrafted free agent. 

Rogers was one of five tight ends named to Washington’s initial roster last week, thanks in large part to the rookie taking advantage of opportunities when injuries decimated the depth chart above him. With Logan Thomas (ACL), John Bates (calf) and Cole Turner (hamstring) banged up for most of camp, Rogers logged plenty of reps, impressing coaches and teammates by consistently making plays and leveraging his size. 

Rogers didn’t get serious about playing tight end until just a few weeks before February’s East-West Shrine Bowl. The all-star college football exhibition was Rogers’ first game at his new position — a spot he hadn’t even played in high school or youth football.

“I knew I wanted to get to the next level,” Rogers said. “I never ran routes before. But it’s working, just putting my mind to it and giving everything I have.” 

Roger’s college career under center had its highs and lows. After three seasons at UNLV, where he struggled with injuries after a record-setting freshman campaign, the Los Angeles native transferred to Ohio University — but was used primarily as a specialist in offensive packages for two seasons. In 2021, Rogers threw only 49 passes in 12 games. 

But he demonstrated other skills. Against Buffalo, he registered a 99-yard touchdown run — the longest for a quarterback in FBS history. He finished with 552 yards on 92 rushing attempts last season.

With the Commanders, Rogers has learned to run routes, block and everything else that comes with being a tight end. Along the way, he’s sought tips from Logan Thomas, another former signal-caller turned tight end, and others like Turner, a fifth-rounder out of Nevada who remembers facing Rogers in college. “It’s crazy to see,” Turner said of Rogers’ transition. 

In a preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Rogers lowered his shoulder to meet oncoming defenders after a catch — plowing ahead for the 15-yard gain. As a quarterback, Rogers would have likely been chastised for not running out of bounds. But as a tight end, he was simply doing what he could to make the team. 

“He’s got a lot of mental toughness, too,” general manager Martin Mayhew said. “I’m really excited about what the future holds for him.”

When Rogers found out that he had made the 53-man roster, he called his parents. Rogers said he was at a loss for words. His dad, former linebacker Sam Rogers, played in the NFL for 10 seasons. And now his son had worked his way into the league. 

“I can’t say that I’ve really ever really seen anything move at this type of pace,” Stokes said, “and that’s why I’m so excited about where he’s going, his trajectory really moving forward.”