Buffalo Bills tight end Armani Rogers suffered a major setback last month, tearing his Achilles tendon in his second major injury in close to two years.
With a long recovery ahead, Rogers will now need to find a new NFL home to continue his journey.
The Bills announced on April 17 that they waived tight end with an injury designation. Rogers had joined the team on a reserve/futures contract in January and hoped to compete for a spot on the roster at training camp. With a long rehab process ahead, Rogers is now in danger of missing the entire 2025 season.
Big Setback for Armani Rogers
Reporter Aaron Wilson of KRPC-2 in Houston reported on March 3 that Rogers suffered the injury while training for the upcoming season. Rogers is no stranger to adversity, suffering a torn Achilles in 2022 after making the Washington Commanders roster as an undrafted rookie free agent.
Rogers was starting to carve out a place in the offense at the time of his injury, ending the season with five receptions for 64 yards. The Commanders later waived Rogers and he spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons in 2024 before landing with the Bills in January.
As Ryan Miller of the Democrat & Chronicle noted, Rogers actually had some longstanding ties to Buffalo before joining the team.
“Rogers was born in Buffalo in 1997 during his dad Sam Rogers’ NFL career,” Miller wrote. “The elder Rogers was selected by the Bills in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft and started 79 of his 101 games in Buffalo from 1994-2000. He made the Pro Football Writers of America All Rookie Team as a special teamer. The linebacker also played for the San Diego Chargers and Atlanta Falcons and finished with 380 tackles and 30 sacks in 10 seasons.”
Bills Could Add Another Tight End
Though the Bills have made some big investments in their tight-end room in recent years — giving Dawson Knox a $52 million contract extension and trading up in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft to take Dalton Kincaid — some analysts believe they could look to make another big addition this offseason.
The Athletic’s Tim Graham suggested the team could target Penn State tight end Tyler Warren with the No. 30 overall pick in next week’s NFL draft.
“Tight end is not a position of blatant need. If Warren were to slide late into the first round, then his value still would need to exceed that of another who could fill a hole,” Graham wrote. “The Bills’ draft list is obvious. They crave cornerback help. Personnel along the defensive line must be reinforced. Receiver prospects are in demand always. Another tight end could be overkill.
“But there’s no denying Warren’s skill set and Buffalo’s dissatisfaction with last year’s tight end production.”
Graham noted that Kincaid saw a big dip in production in 2024, making 44 catches for 448 yards and two touchdowns. After the season ended, Bills general manager Brandon Beane made it clear that Kincaid needed to work on his strength in the offseason.
“He’s going to have to continue to work on his play strength,” Beane said. “He’s not as built and muscular as, let’s just say, Dawson is, and so that’s one of the nuances of this game.. In college you don’t play 17 games plus playoffs, so building your body up to withstand what it takes.”
