Commanders Rookie Will Have Surgery, No Timeline For Return

Getty Washington Commanders rookie defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton at Illinois in 2023.

The Washington Commanders will be missing a key piece of their 2024 rookie class — and their team — moving forward.

NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay broke the news that rookie defensive tackle and second-round pick Jer’Zhan Newton would undergo surgery on his left foot for a partial Jones fracture.

It’s the same injury that required surgery on his right foot in 2023, when Newton played six games at Illinois on the way to being named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

Washington head coach Dan Quinn told Finlay there wasn’t a timeline for Newton’s return.

“Dan Quinn says 2nd rounder Johnny Newton has an injury to his other foot, not the same foot as his college season but the same injury and has a procedure scheduled for next week,” Finlay wrote.

According to My Health, a Jones fracture is a broken fifth metatarsal bone in the foot that usually requires surgery and “may take 6 weeks to several months to heal.”

Commanders Dealing With Trade Rumors at DT

The Commanders have dealt with trade rumors surrounding star defensive tackle Jonathan Allen since drafting Newton with the No. 36 overall pick.

According to Commander Country’s Terence Watson, Newton seems like a clear-cut replacement one day for Allen, who signed a 4-year, $72 million contract extension in July 2021.

“Whenever you have a disgruntled player on the roster and a new coach and defensive scheme coming in … things don’t always work out for the player — no matter how talented that player is or has been for the franchise in the past,” Watson wrote. “This could be what eventually happens to Allen; Quinn came in and drafted another three-tech defensive tackle in Jer’Zhan Newton … a player with — on paper — the same size, quickness, and play style as Allen.”

Allen finally came unglued in 2023 about the Commanders’ struggles. Since joining the franchise in 2017, the franchise is 43-71-1 with Allen on the roster and haven’t had a winning season.

Allen went off on an expletive-filled rant following a 14-7 loss to the New York Giants in Oct. 2023 as the Commanders stumbled to a 4-13 record.

Now, with Newton out indefinitely, the rampant trade rumors might subside somewhat.

Newton Pick Earned Praise From Draft Experts

Newton was projected as a first-round pick in mock drafts headed into the 2024 NFL draft. The Commanders earned praise for landing him at the top of the second round,

OurLads.com had Newton listed as Allen’s backup on its latest depth chart, with Daron Payne starting at the other defensive tackle spot.

Newton, 6-foot-2 and 304 pounds, led Illinois with 7.5 sacks in 2023 and led all of FBS with 4 blocked kicks.

PFF’s Trevor Sikkema gave the Commanders an “A” grade for their 2024 class, with a healthy dose of praise for Newton.

“Tremendous value selection at the top of the second round,” Sikkema wrote. “Newton is the 11th-ranked player overall on the PFF big board and was extremely productive over his college career. Just three Power Five interior defensive linemen have recorded 100 or more pressures over a two-year stretch since PFF began charting college in 2014: Newton, his new teammate Jonathan Allen and DeForest Buckner.”