The Dallas Cowboys spent the bulk of their NFL draft capital on the defensive side of the ball over the past three days, using five of their seven picks on players who could potentially help out a defense that was the worst in the league in points allowed, at a franchise-record 511 in 2025. And certainly, no one is complaining about that. But after the draft wrapped up, the Cowboys went to work on the undrafted free agent market and immediately got themselves some offensive depth pieces–most notably, tight end DJ Rogers from TCU.
And Rogers was in demand. The Cowboys beat out other bidders with one of the more expensive UDFA deals the team has ever given out, as ESPN’s Todd Archer reports. That’s an indication that the Cowboys feel Rogers will be able to make the 53-man roster this summer.
Wrote Archer on Twitter/X: “The Cowboys have an agreement with TCU tight end D.J. Rogers on an undrafted free agent deal that guarantees him $200,000, per source. Tight end was a position Cowboys were looking to draft but Rogers will have chance to make a spot.”
DJ Rogers Just Became at TCU Starter
The Cowboys, in the end, did not draft a tight end, but Rogers should be the kind of long-term project who could come along, either on the roster or on the practice squad, with time. The Cowboys have as good a track record with undrafted free agents as any organization in the NFL and, indeed, take pride in their record of development.
Rogers played 53 games for TCU in his five-year college career, catching 53 passes for 539 yards in that span. He was only a starter for one season. But at 6-foot-4 and 258 pounds, there is a lot to work with when it comes to Rogers.
From the NFL.com scouting report: “Rogers is an adequate athlete who possesses the play strength and catch-point savvy to compete for a depth-level role. He needs to play with better short-area urgency on routes underneath, but he has the catch radius to bring in off-target and contested throws. While his effort and technique are inconsistent as a run blocker, he flashes the strength/body control to win reps. Rogers is still developing but should be in the conversation as a Day 3 pick.”
Cowboys Have Good Tight End Foundation
The Cowboys will enter the 2026 season feeling pretty good about their tight-end room, with Jake Ferguson having gotten himself back on track last season, catching 82 passes for 600 yards and eight touchdowns–Ferguson had zero touchdowns the previous season.
But the depth around Ferguson remains a question. The Cowboys used a second-round pick on Luke Schoonmaker in 2023, but he has shown no development since then, and there is a strong chance he will be replaced on the depth chart by Brevyn Spann-Ford, one of the Cowboys’ UDFA success stories.
The Cowboys also have Princeton Fant under contract for 2026, but he might be a longshot to make the team. That’s the situation that Rogers is walking into, and it’s one that could afford him a real chance to earn a spot.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Cowboys Sign ‘Developing’ TCU Star to Hefty Contract After NFL Draft appeared first on Heavy Sports.