Eli Rogers: A lock for significant playing time with the Steelers?

Eli Rogers WR (5’10 180) Louisville

You know, the slot receiver/punt returner who was so intriguing as a rookie last training camp before going on Injured Reserve with a foot injury? Yep, that’s him.

Rogers #17 is more than a starting possibility now. In fact, he’s more than a roster lock now, according to SCI, on field reporter, Jim Wexel. Many have commented that there is only upside in this player, and he might be the team’s No. 1 slot receiver and might possibly be a favorite to finish second behind Antonio Brown on the team’s receptions stats board.

And, of course, Rogers is probably going to be the team’s No. 1 punt returner, since Mike Tomlin has been clearly looking for someone to capably handle that duty in order to lessen the workload — and the injury potential — of the great Antonio Brown.

On Thursday night, against the Philadelphia Eagles, Rogers returned two punts for 23 yards. One was a slick 17-yarder in which he deftly slipped a couple of tackles while moving the ball near midfield.

When Eli was asked by media after the game what ST Coach Smith had to say of those catches,  “He just told me ‘good job’ and he told me ‘good job’ on the fake fair catch, too,” Rogers said. “He said that was good decision-making. I’m continuing to gain trust in him in that regard on special teams.”

Rogers seems to be “gaining trust” in all of his coaches these days. Again, the training camp looks, as reported through Periscope live by Pittsburgh’s media, shows a team that’s lacking at tight end, but putting a lot of hope into 2nd year TE Jesse James, but a team that hasn’t been able to execute its plan of working Markus Wheaton in the slot because of Wheaton’s nagging quadriceps injury, Rogers has been given a ton of work at training camp and in two preseason games. He appears to be mirroring his game after AB in the way he tries to “lose people” with his counter moves on routes. This was apparent in recent practices, hearing Coach Tomlin, shouting “very nice 17!”.

He caught only one pass in the opener, but Thursday night he caught four passes for 39 yards, including three on third down (for 25 yards) that converted two first downs. That was just in one half of work. Rogers seems to get open easily over the middle. He is being mentored on and off the field by WR Antonio Brown, who also gave a shout out to his Twitter followers to follow Rogers and watch him on the field, as he sees greatness. Quite an endorsement from the league’s arguably best wide receiver.

Rogers was born in Miami, like Brown, and attended Northwestern High School, where he played on the same team as current pros Teddy Bridgewater, Amari Cooper and the Steelers’ Artie Burns. Rogers was also an undrafted rookie when the Steelers signed him in 2015.

However, Rogers still has much more to prove on the field. In fact, Yahoo.com just ran a feature story on him with the headlines stating: Eli Rogers has the inside track for the 5th WR spot with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But hasn’t he moved beyond that at this point?

If you listened to the coaches sing his praises he has. He should be a lock for a 53 man roster spot, and in the last Tomlin press conference, he could only praise Eli for his quickness and “football smarts” he called it. If you look at his preseason body of work, and the precision routes he already has a grasp of with the Steelers backup QB’s, he has caught on with the team, and we expect to see him this season as another weapon for Big Ben in the slot.

That really says it all. The physicality of the game is one thing, but if you can figure it out on paper and bring that acumen to the field? You’re a keeper. We can only hope.