Houston Roughnecks Sign Former Gamblers Starting Offensive Tackle
An old familiar face is returning to spring football for a Houston team as the Roughnecks signed offensive tackle Na'Ty Rodgers to a contract on Tuesday.
Last year for the Houston Gamblers of the USFL, Rodgers started nine of 10 games at tackle, helping the team perform better than 2022 with a 5-5 overall record. He was one of the 42 players protected in January to stay with the Roughnecks, not having signed with the team until Tuesday.
Rodgers is no stranger to playing in other football leagues having also played in the XFL and CFL. He played for three CFL teams including the Montreal Alouettes, Ottawa Redblacks and Saskatchewan Roughriders. During those three seasons, Rodgers started 21 of 23 games on the offensive line. He played three games during the 2020 XFL season with the Tampa Bay Vipers.
People in the area should be familiar with Rodgers as he played for the Houston Cougars in 2016 and 2017. He started 19 of the 20 games he appeared in at right tackle.
The timing of the move will make for an interesting situation on the offensive line for the Roughnecks. Rodgers performed well last season at tackle, so he should have a chance to play. It’s a matter of whether a week-and-a-half is enough time to be in shape to start on the o-line.
On Saturday, UFL teams must drop their rosters to 50 players in preparation for the regular season starting on March 30.
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