It’s a testament to SirVincent Rogers’ dominance at left tackle that he cracked this list considering recent circumstances.
The 34-year-old hasn’t dressed for a professional football game since the 2018 Grey Cup. By the time the 2021 season rolls around, his absence from the field will have extended to beyond two-and-a-half years.
Rogers has always found ways to overcome adversity, however.
The University of Houston product was selected to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team after starting eight games as a true freshman at right tackle. His first start came against No. 4 Miami, a team with two future NFL draft picks along the defensive line in Kareem Brown and Baraka Atkins.
Rogers started all twelve games as a sophomore and was named to the All-Conference USA Third Team. His junior season started strong at left tackle before he suffered a season-ending knee injury that forced him to take a redshirt the following year.
The native of Jasper, Texas returned for his redshirt senior season in 2008 but suffered a broken foot at the midway point of the year. In his final three seasons with the Cougars, Rogers dressed for just ten games.
Injuries limited his NFL interest, though Rogers was still signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in April 2009. He was on and off with the team for a year before stints with the Hartford Colonels (2010-11), Arizona Rattlers (2011-12), Las Vegas Locomotives (2012), and Jacksonville Sharks (2013) of the UFL and AFL.
Rogers finally secured a long-term home in the CFL when he signed with the Toronto Argonauts in February 2013. He started 26 games for the Argos over two seasons before the Ottawa Redblacks signed him in free agency.
The next four years were the best of Rogers’ career, during which time he protected the blindsides of Henry Burris and Trevor Harris. He was a three-time East Division all-star, two-time CFL all-star, and was named the league’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman in 2015.
Ottawa went to three Grey Cups with Rogers at left tackle, winning a championship in 2016 over the heavily-favoured Calgary Stampeders.
Rogers was one of three long-time Redblacks who left for Edmonton on the first day of free agency in February 2019 alongside Harris and slotback Greg Ellingson. The six-foot-four, 320-pound blocker’s deal was worth almost $450,000 over two seasons, making him one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the CFL.
Unfortunately, Rogers never got to make his Edmonton debut. He suffered a torn tricep in training camp and was ruled out for the season.
Rogers remained under contract for 2020 but the season was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He is slated to become a free agent in February 2021.
3DownNation is unveiling its list of the top 100 active CFL players, a project that will run through December 31, 2020. To read the criteria for player eligibility, click here. The list to date can be found below.
68. QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Free Agent
69. DB/RET Frankie Williams, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
70. DB T.J. Lee, B.C. Lions
71. QB Zach Collaros, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
72. SAM Anthony Cioffi, Free Agent
73. DB Shaquille Richardson, Toronto Argonauts
74. REC Kamar Jorden, Calgary Stampeders
75. OL Darius Ciraco, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
76. REC Jalen Saunders, Free Agent
77. QB Dane Evans, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
78. REC Brad Sinopoli, Ottawa Redblacks
79. RET Janarion Grant, Free Agent
80. DE Avery Ellis, Ottawa Redblacks
81. DE Cordarro Law, Calgary Stampeders
82. DB Brandon Alexander, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
83. OL Jermarcus Hardrick, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
84. DB Branden Dozier, Free Agent
85. SAM Otha Foster, Saskatchewan Roughriders
86. DB Antoine Pruneau, Ottawa Redblacks
87. RB John White, B.C. Lions
88. LB Avery Williams, Ottawa Redblacks
89. LB Jovan Santos-Knox, Free Agent
90. DB Richard Leonard, Calgary Stampeders
91. REC Armanti Edwards, Edmonton Football Team
92. RB C.J. Gable, Free Agent
93. DT Mike Rose, Calgary Stampeders
94. REC S.J. Green, Free Agent
95. DB Mike Edem, Saskatchewan Roughriders
96. DE John Bowman, Montreal Alouettes
97. DB Taylor Loffler, Montreal Alouettes
98. QB Nick Arbuckle, Ottawa Redblacks
99. ST Mike Miller, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
100. DE Chris Casher, B.C. Lions
