The Washington Commanders have dealt with multiple injuries at tight end over the past two weeks. First, veteran starter Zach Ertz tore his ACL in a Week 14 loss at Minnesota. Now, second-year tight end Colson Yankoff will miss Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
While Yankoff is Washington’s No. 4 tight end, he played on almost every special teams unit and some on offense. Ben Sinnott and John Bates will serve as the Commanders‘ top tight ends, but needing depth, Washington elevated Lawrence Cager from the practice squad on Friday to serve as the third tight end against the Eagles.
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Cager, 28, is a 6-foot-5, 220-pound former college wide receiver at Miami and Georgia. The Maryland native entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and has bounced around with several franchises, including the Jets, Browns and Giants. Cager initially joined Washington in January when he signed a reserve/futures contract with the Commanders. Cager quietly had an impressive training camp, but it wasn’t enough to make the 53-man roster, as he was let go during final cuts. However, Washington re-signed Cager to its practice squad.
In his six-year NFL career, Cager has appeared in 21 games, catching 19 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Both touchdowns and all but two of his receptions came during his time with the Giants in 2022 and 2023.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders elevate tight end for Week 16 vs. Eagles