Tag: Johnny Newton

Commanders work out veteran defensive tackle

The Commanders brought in a veteran DT for a workout.

The Washington Commanders believe you can never have enough defensive tackles. On a roster that features stars Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen, second-round rookie Johnny Newton and promising third-year players John Ridgeway and Phidarian Mathis, Washington may have the deepest group of interior defensive linemen in the NFL.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do your due diligence.

According to agent Brett Tessler, the Commanders brought in veteran defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth for a workout on Thursday.

The 28-year-old Stallworth entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2018 with the New Orleans Saints. In his six-year career, Stallworth has had stints with the Saints, Colts, Chiefs, Texans, Panthers, Titans and 49ers. He has appeared in 57 games with two starts. Stallworth has 52 career tackles and 4.5 sacks.

He was last with the 49ers in December when they signed him to their practice squad. He did not appear in a game for San Francisco.

Stallworth’s primary connection to Washington would be general manager Adam Peters. Peters was with the 49ers when they signed Stallworth.

Stallworth’s signing doesn’t appear imminent, and this could be a case of Washington wanting to work him out to see what kind of shape he’s in if they have a need at the position later.

Commanders DT Jonathan Allen discusses mentoring rookie Johnny Newton

Allen remembers the lessons veterans taught him as a rookie.

Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen reported to his eighth training camp this week in phenomenal shape. Much like the rest of his returning teammates, Allen is eager to put a terrible 2023 season behind them.

Allen told reporters on Wednesday morning after the first practice of training camp that he hired a chef in the offseason to improve upon his worst NFL season.

Allen is fired up about Washington’s changes. He ended last season questioning his future with the only team he’s ever played for — which also happens to be his hometown team. However, Allen’s focus shifted once the Commanders hired general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn. The changes reinvigorated him.

Throughout this offseason, there were rumors of Allen being available via trade. None of those rumors came from Washington. Peters and Quinn wanted to build around No. 93. The rumors stemmed from Allen’s contract and his potential replacement.

Allen has two years remaining on his contract—with no guaranteed money. The Commanders selected Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton with the No. 36 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Allen doesn’t view Newton as his replacement; instead, he’s looking to help the rookie in any way he can.

“I’m just trying to help him with things that guys like Ziggy Hood helped me with my rookie year,” Allen said. “Just trying to be there. Be the best teammate I can possibly be to help this team.”

Allen has always been admired for his leadership qualities. Make no mistake; he’s motivated to earn another big-money deal from the Commanders or someone else. But that will never stop him from being a good teammate.

Ideally, Allen has a phenomenal year, earns an extension, and Newton is one of the NFL’s top defensive rookies.

 

 

Commanders activate rookie DT Johnny Newton from NFI list

Good news for the Commanders.

Washington rookie defensive tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton will be on the field when the Commanders open training camp on Wednesday after all.

Head coach Dan Quinn spoke to the media Wednesday morning before practice and said Newton was activated from the NFI (non-football injury) list. The Commanders placed him on the NFI list last week.

Quinn indicated that Newton was cleared on Tuesday.

“First one, Johnny Newton, will be able to, he got cleared yesterday, scans, doctors, all the good stuff,” Quinn said. “He’ll begin in the individual process; you won’t see him in the team work today like we had discussed yesterday. But we’ll follow along on that process. That’s some great news. He has absolutely busted his ass to do everything he can to get ready, so what a great sign for him.”

Newton, the No. 36 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, suffered a Jones fracture in one foot at some point during his senior season at Illinois. As he was recovering from surgery in the spring, he learned he had a similar condition in the opposite foot.

This is great news for the Commanders as they’ll have their entire rookie class on the field to begin training camp.

In a corresponding move, Washington placed defensive lineman Efe Obada on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list. Obada, who re-signed on a one-year deal in the offseason, suffered a leg injury late last season and is still recovering.

Commanders place rookie DT Johnny Newton on NFI list to open training camp

No surprise. Newton to begin training camp on NFI list.

The Washington Commanders’ 2024 rookie class reported to Ashburn for training camp on Thursday. The entire team is due in town next week for the official start of camp.

On Friday, the Commanders made a roster move that everyone expected. Second-round pick, defensive tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton was placed on the NFI (non-football injury list).

A proper explanation for the NFI list is that it’s a roster designation for players unable to practice due to an injury not related to football or an injury that did not happen in an NFL game or practice.

For Newton, it’s the latter. The 6-foot-2, 304-pound Newton suffered a partial Jones fracture in his right foot during his final season at Illinois. Despite the injury, Newton was still the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. As he was recovering from the injury, doctors realized he had a similar condition with his left foot and underwent surgery this spring.

It’s unknown exactly when the second foot injury was diagnosed. It could explain Newton’s fall from out of the first round, as the Commanders were elated to select him at 36th overall.

According to Ben Standig of The Athletic, the Commanders can activate Newton at any time, and there is currently no timetable for his return.

Rookie DT Johnny Newton: To be with Commanders is like a dream come true

The rookie defensive tackle has long admired new teammates Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne.

Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton is living his dream.

Bryan Colbert Jr. hosted another episode of “Raising Hail with the Rookies,” and Newton was his guest.

Newton was chosen No. 36 overall by the Commanders in April’s NFL draft. The former Illinois defensive tackle had been expected by nearly every analyst to be chosen in the first round. However, he fell to the Commanders at the fourth selection of round two.

“Kids dream about this. I still feel like a kid, you know,” began Newton. Arriving for his rookie minicamp and seeing guys with their uniforms, Newton said to himself, “It’s actually real. I’ve been playing football since I was five. So to be here is actually like a dream come true.”

How about on draft night, when Commanders GM Adam Peters called Newton? “I was trying to keep my composure…I was projected for Day One, so I was waiting for that call. I didn’t get upset about it, but it gave me that chip on my shoulder.”

Newton says that when he hung up with Peters, he told his family that he was going to be chosen by the Commanders, hugged his mom, and instantly broke down crying.

The rookie defensive tackle credits both his parents for being supportive of him in his football and basketball growing up. He talked of how he has no hard feelings about not being drafted in the first round, and he understands it is a business. “But I know there wasn’t 32 people better than me. But there is a plan for everything; it was already written. Now I just got to execute it and play to my God-given ability.”

When he was in middle school and began playing defensive line, he remembers Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, both at Alabama. He also recalls Dante Fowler playing for the Florida Gators. Now, Johnny has become their teammate.

Commanders sign 2nd-round pick DT Johnny Newton

The Commanders sign DT Johnny Newton.

For the second time in two days, the Washington Commanders have signed one of their second-round picks.

On Tuesday, just before the Commanders opened their three-day minicamp, No. 50 overall pick cornerback Mike Sainristil signed his four-year rookie contract.

On Wednesday, defensive tackle Johnny Newton’s turn came. The No. 36 overall pick from Illinois signed his four-year rookie deal worth $9.757 million.

The 2023 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year injured his foot during his final collegiate season and underwent surgery in January. Newton played through the injury, a partial Jones fracture of his right foot, and still had a dominant senior season.

However, head coach Dan Quinn revealed last month that when he visited his doctor during his recovery, he was told he had a similar injury on the opposite foot. Newton underwent surgery on that foot, and when the team began minicamp this week, he was out of the boot.

Quinn said the Commanders weren’t putting any timetables on his return.

Washington opens training camp later next month.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn gives update on rookie DT Johnny Newton

Quinn talks Newton’s recovery.

Draft analysts were shocked during April’s 2024 NFL draft when Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton was still available in the second round. The Washington Commanders were shocked, too, and even with Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne on the roster, they selected Newton with the 36th overall pick.

Newton’s fall from the first round made some sense, as he had offseason surgery on his foot for an injury he suffered during his final season at Illinois. Despite playing with an injured foot, Newton was so dominant he was still named the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year.

While the foot injury was known, many were shocked at Washington’s rookie minicamp last month when head coach Dan Quinn revealed Newton had surgery on his other foot. According to Quinn, while Newton was visiting the doctor, he learned he had a similar issue on the opposite foot and recommended surgery to correct it.

The Commanders held media day on Monday, the day before the mandatory minicamp began. Newton shared an image on his social media page showing him no longer wearing a boot or brace.

Before Tuesday’s practice, Quinn offered an update on Newton.

“Johnny has had the procedure done on his foot,” Quinn said. “He is hitting all the markers that he is supposed to hit. He is able to do light working out. We will keep progressing all the way up until training camp. No decision has been made in terms of the start of camp or not. We will take that week by week, but he is hitting all the markers.”

That is an excellent answer from Quinn. He was transparent with the injury and acknowledged there was no need to rush Newton back to the field. Even if Newton isn’t ready for the start of camp, the Commanders believe he’ll be ready for the season. The good news is they don’t need Newton immediately.

As for Newton, he was working hard at minicamp on Tuesday, even though he couldn’t practice.

Commanders rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil named a sleeper for 2024

How good can Mike Sainristil be as a rookie in 2024?

When the Washington Commanders selected Michigan cornerback Mike Sainristil in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft, it was clear they had big plans for him immediately.

Legendary former Alabama coach Nick Saban spoke glowingly of Sainristil, calling him the best pound-for-pound player in the entire draft. Others offered similar praise.

Washington head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters haven’t hid their excitement about Sainristil.

The rookie is expected to be the Commanders’ slot cornerback in 2024.

CBS Sports draft analyst Chris Trapasso recently named one sleeper for every NFC team who wasn’t picked in the first round. Sainristil was his pick for Washington.

Turns out Sainristil was initially playing the wrong position at Michigan. The former receiver turned slot defending annoyance will be a welcomed addition to a Commanders secondary that only snagged eight interceptions all season in 2023, which tied for the third-lowest in football. Sainristil had six alone as captain on Michigan’s national title-winning campaign, and tested like an elite-level athlete for the increasingly valuable slot corner spot at the combine.

He will be a most frustrating element of Washington’s defense for every offensive game plan and a portable piece for Quinn. With his smaller size, extreme explosiveness, and speed — not to mention a blue-collar work ethic through blockers and through the whistle, Sainristil will be an instant asset as a blitzer. He generated a pressure on nearly 30% of his 38 pass-rushing snaps last season for the Wolverines.

Outside of quarterback Jayden Daniels, none of Washington’s nine rookies have a clearer path to the starting lineup than Sainristil. Barring injury, everything about Sainristil screams long-term starter.

The Commanders hope Sainristil, defensive tackle Johnny Newton and tight end Ben Sinnott can break the franchise’s long-term futility with second-round draft picks.

Commanders DTs Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne ranked among the top 32 in the NFL

Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen are due for a big bounce-back in 2024.

When Dan Quinn was asked what he liked about the Washington roster he inherited, he didn’t hesitate to mention the defensive tackle group. While he didn’t name Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, it was clear who he was referring to.

Payne and Allen were phenomenal in 2022, each earning a trip to the Pro Bowl. However, both players had their worst season in 2023. A look up and down Washington’s roster shows multiple players had their worst season one year ago.

General manager Adam Peters, Quinn, and his entire staff have wiped the slate clean, and the players are excited.

This offseason, the Commanders added another talented defensive tackle to the roster: second-round pick Johnny Newton. Once healthy, his presence will allow Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. to rotate Allen and Payne more in 2024, keeping them fresh later in games.

In their series ranking the top 32 players at every position, Pro Football Focus ranked Allen (14) and Payne (32) among its top group.

Here’s what PFF said about Allen:

Allen isn’t coming off his best season, but he still racked up 49 quarterback pressures and 37 defensive stops for the Commanders last year.

At his best, Allen is one of the most formidable pass-rushers in the game. He is just two years removed from a 90.9 PFF pass-rushing grade on the back of 67 pressures and double-digit sacks.

And Payne:

Payne isn’t coming off his best year, but he could be a rejuvenated force in 2024 in Dan Quinn’s defense. He totaled 35 quarterback pressures last season, but that was down from 49 the year before. He has notched at least 40 pressures in back-to-back seasons, having had exactly 39 in each of the two years before that.

The powerhouse of a defensive tackle’s best season may be incoming in a new defensive system.

It sounds like PFF believes big things could be ahead for Allen and Payne in 2024 under a competent coaching staff. Payne’s ranking feels low, especially behind a rookie who has never played an NFL snap, but he can prove last season was a fluke.

Both players are motivated to have a big 2024 season.

Is Commanders DT Daron Payne due for a bounce-back year in 2024?

Will Commanders DT Daron Payne bounce back in 2024?

The Washington Commanders were content with allowing defensive tackle Daron Payne to play the 2023 season on his fifth-year option and not negotiating an extension.

Payne then had the best season of his five-year career. He recorded career highs in tackles (64), tackles for loss (18), sacks (11.5), and quarterback hits (20). The Commanders quickly placed the franchise tag on Payne, and fans wondered if this situation would be similar to that of Kirk Cousins and Brandon Scherff.

Not this time. The Commanders agreed to a four-year deal worth $90 million, making Payne the second-highest-paid defensive tackle at that time, behind only Aaron Donald.

Unfortunately, Payne’s numbers regressed last season. However, this wasn’t a case in which Payne lacked effort. Almost every player on both sides of the ball struggled. Fellow Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen had his worst statistical season, too.

Pro Football Focus recently named one bounce-back candidate for all 32 NFL teams. Payne was the pick for the Commanders.

Payne has established himself as one of the more solid interior defenders across the NFL, but his past season wasn’t his finest. He tallied 14 fewer pressures despite having 32 additional opportunities to rush the passer.

With Washington drafting Illinois’ Jer’Zhan Newton in the second round, new head coach Dan Quinn could turn to more of a rotation along the Commanders’ defensive line, which might reduce Payne’s pressure numbers even further. Then again, as Payne enters the second year of his $90 million extension, he’s unlikely to go anywhere. A more motivated Payne — who also happens to clean up his tackling — could return to being an amazing pass rusher in 2024.

The addition of Newton is good for Payne and Allen. It allows them to rotate more freely, keeping them fresh at the end of games. Of course, Newton needs to be healthy first. The rookie recently underwent surgery on his foot — his second such surgery this year. The surgeries were on each foot, but the Commanders believe he’ll be ready for Week 1.

One thing about Payne is that he’s durable. In six NFL seasons, Payne has missed only one game. That’s almost unheard of for a starting defensive tackle these days.