Matt Hasselbeck Has Kind Words For Da’Rick Rogers

Former Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers has already shown the NFL the kind of numbers he is capable of putting up.

Last season, the Indianapolis Colts rookie broke out in a big way against the Cincinnati Bengals in early December. Rogers caught six passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns in that game.

But now the highly talented Rogers finds himself fighting for a roster spot.

The Colts will have Reggie Wayne back this season, along with the additions of free agent Hakeem Nicks and rookie Donte Moncrief. Indy also has speedy wide receiver T.Y. Hilton.

That leaves (possibly) one spot left for two receivers: Rogers and Griff Whalen.

Whalen’s had a better training camp than Rogers, but the former Vol clearly has more upside.

Which is something that Indy’s back-up quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has recognized.

Here’s what Hasselbeck had to say about Da’Rick Rogers, according to ESPN.com.

"“He was someone I invested a lot into last year,” Hasselbeck said. “I worked with him a lot. I like him, I trust him. Da’Rick has done a nice job of making big plays in the preseason, but he’s got a ton of room for improvement as far as earning the trust of the starting quarterback and the coaches.”"

Rogers’ past maturity issues are well documented, but he hasn’t had the slightest issue since entering the NFL.

That means his performance on the field will be the biggest factor in whether or not he makes the Colts’ 53-man roster.

While he hasn’t had the best training camp, he’s proved he can be counted on when it matters.

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Rogers led the Colts in receiving in their first pre-season game, catching one pass for 45 yards.

In the second pre-season game of the season, Rogers once again made one catch, this one going for 14 yards and a score.

It’s understandable why Indy doesn’t want to count on Rogers as a top three or four guy, but he has the potential to be a starter in the NFL.

With an aging wide receiver in Wayne and a less than certain thing in Nicks, it’d be smart for the Colts to keep Rogers in the hopes that he develops into the playmaking star he showed us he could be when he was at Tennessee.