LATROBE, Pa. -- Free agent receiver Eli Rogers was on campus visiting the Steelers Wednesday morning as the team reported for the opening of training camp at Saint Vincent College.
Rogers, who has played his entire career with Pittsburgh, was meeting with Kevin Colbert and wanted to head straight over to the team dorm.
"Hopefully," he told DKPittsburghSports.com.
Hopefully didn't take long. Less than half an hour after I spoke with him, Rogers signed a one-year deal to return to the Steelers.
A third-year receiver, Rogers has 66 receptions for 743 yards and four touchdowns in the past two seasons for the Steelers, who signed him as a rookie free agent out of Louisville. Rogers, 25, also returned punts for the team in 2017, averaging 7.7 yards per return.
But he suffered a torn ACL and meniscus injury late in the team's 45-42 playoff loss to Jacksonville on Jan. 14 and has been rehabbing the knee, which hurt him in the free agent process.
Rogers is healthy now and visited Kansas City earlier this week. He said he's been cleared by doctors to return to the field but will start training camp on the PUP List for the Steelers.
"Yeah, everything's good," Rogers told me.
Rogers will help provide depth behind presumed starters Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster after the Steelers traded Martavis Bryant to the Oakland Raiders for a third-round draft pick. The Steelers also selected Oklahoma State receiver James Washington in the second round of this year's draft.
"He’s been around. He’s been rehabbing at UPMC’s facility, so we’ve seen him around," Mike Tomlin said. "It’s just a process. He went through the process. Felt like this was the best place for him. Felt like it might be an opportunity for him when healthy. We know enough about him that we don’t have to rush that process. When he is ready to go, we’ll proceed."
In addition to Rogers, Tomlin said defensive back Trey Johnson (shoulder) and offensive lineman Bryce Harris (conditioning) also will start camp on the PUP List.