Carlos Rogers Not Worrying With CBA Talks While Awaiting Free Agency Payday

Only four Redskins have been in Washington longer than Carlos Rogers. But after six tumultuous seasons, the 29-year-old cornerback could be an ex-Redskin soon.

That is unless the failure of the collective bargaining negotiations produce a lockout a week from Friday -- derailing Rogers' first opportunity at full-fledged free agency. That's what happened a year ago when he was among the 500 or so players whose expected shot at unrestricted free agency disappeared under the revamped CBA rules of 2010.

Despite being a possible victim of the system for a second straight year, the ever-mellow Rogers is declining to get uptight about his situation.

"I'm just waiting for things to get done," he said from his Atlanta home. "I think they will. Even if we have a lockout, I think it will be for a short period of time. They want to have OTAs and minicamps. The owners know how important those are for the coaches. And if the lockout goes on too long, the union will decertify and then we'll be free agents anyway. Sometimes I wonder how come the CBA could hurt me two years in a row, but I'm really not having too many negative thoughts about it."

The same goes for the lack of any serious negotiations between the Redskins -- who chose Rogers ninth overall in the 2005 draft -- and his agent, Todd France.

"I haven't heard nothing from the Redskins, but before I left Washington (after the Jan. 2 season finale) I talked to my coaches," Rogers explained. "(Secondary coach Bob Slowik) told me he loves me and wants me back. (Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett) said the same thing, that I'm the physical kind of matchup corner they want to play with (DeAngelo) Hall. They said, 'You had a good year in your first year in our defense and you'll only be better next year.' "

That's not the kind of feedback Rogers had received the previous two seasons under now-retired coordinator Greg Blache, who benched him during the second half of both 2008 and 2009. And Rogers finished 2007 on injured reserve after tearing an ACL at midseason.

Washington was terrible defensively in his second season, making his rookie year his only previous positive finish. And even that season ended with Rogers' infamous drop of an interception that he seemed to sure to return for a touchdown that would have put the Redskins ahead 10-0 in a divisional round playoff loss to the eventual NFC champion Seahawks in Seattle.

On the other hand, Rogers doesn't know what to think about the lack of love expressed by owner Dan Snyder, general manager Bruce Allen and coach Mike Shanahan, who declined to tender him at the highest level a year ago and haven't made a serious attempt to re-sign him to a long-term contract since.

"My agent said six teams called last year before I re-signed with the Redskins so I know there'll be interest if I become a free agent," said Rogers, who noted that two of his former Redskins coaches, New Orleans' Gregg Williams and Tennessee's Jerry Gray, are coordinators of defenses that could use a proven cornerback. "I want to stay in Washington, but if I become a free agent, I'm going to be talking to everyone. It's not going to be me automatically going back because I've always been there."