The NFL Draft might be over but teams are still making moves, with TCU's DJ Rogers inking a deal with the Dallas Cowboys.
The NFL Draft might be over but teams are still making moves, with one former Horned Frog getting picked up by the Dallas Cowboys.
Standout TCU tight end DJ Rogers inked a deal with the hometown NFL squad as an undrafted free agent. While he wasn't selected in the seven rounds of the draft, the so-called "eight-round pick" is a promising addition for Dallas.
Unsurprisingly, the Cowboys focused primarily on loading up on the defensive side of the ball with their NFL Draft pickups.
It made sense for Dallas to spend five of its seven selections to bolster a historically poor defense, but that left room for improvement on the offense.
The undrafted free agent market could prove to be a potential gold mine for the Cowboys and other squads and Rogers hopes to be one of these hidden gems.
He was not an easy get for Dallas, however, with reports indicating that the team shilled out one of its largest contracts for a UDFA in franchise history to keep Rogers at home.
ESPN's Todd Archer shed more light on the process that brought the tight end into the Cowboys organization on X.
"The Cowboys have an agreement with TCU tight end D.J. Roger on an undrafted free agent deal that guarantees him $200,000, per source."
Tight end was one position that the Cowboys were rumored to target in the draft, but chose to go elsewhere with their picks. That bodes well for Rogers to not only sign a deal with Dallas but make their final 53-man roster when the season gets underway.
Although Rogers spent five years in Fort Worth, he was only a starter for one season with TCU. He finished his career with around 550 yards off 53 catches in 53 total games.
What Rogers lacks in experience, he makes up for in his physical characteristics. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 258 pounds, Rogers has the mold of a terrifying NFL tight end.
As a developmental piece, Rogers has the opportunity to grow amongst the best athletes the sport has to offer. With Dallas, that learning stage could be shorter than most other teams.
The Cowboys starting tight end role is sure to stay with Jake Ferguson, but the spots behind him are truly up-for-grabs.
Rogers could see his exponential growth take him from one-time TCU starter to NFL-rostered tight end if he lives up to the interest from Dallas.