Tag: DT Johnny Newton rehabbing

Commanders’ DT Johnny Newton trending closer to playing

Commanders hopeful Johnny Newton can make his NFL debut.

Rookie defensive tackle Johnny Newton missed the opener last week in Tampa, rehabbing from a Jones Fracture that required surgery.

He worked in pads last week but was deemed not yet ready for a regular-season intensity in the Tampa heat and Buccaneers offensive line.

He’s continued to get in some work this week in pads, and head coach Dan Quinn is watching Newton closely in hopes that he will be ready this week.

“I felt really good, honestly, going in,” Quinn told the media. Friday. “So we’ve stuck to the plan, so we got a good bit there, some more today (Friday). And we’ll take it into tomorrow really, to make the assessment to see how the workload of the last couple of days (results). It was really cool to see him get going. So he is trending in the right spot for us for sure.”

Newton was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and thus drafted by the Commanders at No. 36 overall. However, shortly after being drafted, he required surgery to repair his Jones Fracture (foot). He has now had surgery on both feet since completing his senior season at Illinois.

If Newton can go on Sunday, it would immediately mean some more breaks for Jon Allen and Daron Payne during a game. It would also mean he would take some snaps from Phidarian Mathis or Sheldon Day.

Commanders’ rookie DT Newton pushing hard to make NFL debut

The Commanders are hopeful about rookie DT Johnny Newton making his debut soon.

Johnny Newton, a defensive tackle out of Illinois, was drafted 36th overall by the Commanders last April and is apparently closer to playing.

Newton had to undergo surgery to repair a Jones fracture shortly after the Commanders drafted him. Head coach Dan Quinn was asked Wednesday regarding Newton’s rehab and return.

“When you are coming back from this, you may see him out today (Wednesday), but that’s to set up for tomorrow,” began Quinn. “So we pushed it hard with him conditioning yesterday (Tuesday). Hold today, but we wanted the padded day for him tomorrow then. So we are trending in the right way, much like we were talking about with Noah (Brown).”

The Commanders played four defensive tackles in the hot, muggy Tampa season opener. Of the defensive snaps, Jon Allen and Daron Payne both played 64% and 62%, respectively. They were given breathers by Phidarian Mathis and Sheldon Day, both seeing action on 36% of the defensive snaps.

The Commanders could use someone like Newton, inside making some penetration as Matt Ioannidis used to do, coming in to spell Allen and or Payne.

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“We’ll kind of have a better sense for when we get to Friday,” continued Quinn. “But he’s definitely trending in the right spot. So, we’re close for sure. But I’ll trust my eyes and make sure he is going through all the whole process to get ready. But he’s definitely pushing it hard to get into this mix.”

It’s not certain the Commanders would have five defensive tackles active Sunday in the home opener against the Giants. If the Commanders declare four again as active, and Newton is active for the first time, he would replace either Mathis or Day.