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The Washington Commanders got first-round talent at second-round prices when they selected Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton early in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
According to Commander Country’s Terence Watson, Newton seems like a clear-cut replacement one day for longtime Washington defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, who signed a 4-year, $72 million contract extension in July 2021.
Watson believes that if Newton shows he has the potential to develop into a Pro Bowl player — like Allen — it could make Allen expendable sooner than later via trade.
Especially after Allen was vocal about his frustrations with the franchise in 2023.
“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.”
Jonathan Allen Has Been One of NFL’s Best DT
It’s a huge compliment for Watson to compare Newton to Allen, who has spent over a decade as one of the NFL’s best interior defensive linemen on some pretty awful teams.
Allen was selected as the No. 17 overall pick out of Alabama in 2017 after being named SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and made two Pro Bowls, in 2021 and 2022.
Allen has had at least 50 tackles and 5.5 sacks in six of his seven seasons, including a career-high 9.0 sacks in 2021.
Since joining the Commanders in 2017, the franchise is 43-71-1 with Allen on the roster and haven’t had a winning season. The only playoff appearance was a loss in the NFC Wild Card game in 2020.
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.
Offensive Run Dropped Jer’Zhan Newton in Draft
Most years, Newton seems like he would have been a mid-to-late round pick, but in 2024 the NFL draft set a record with 23 offensive players taken in the first round.
Newton’s loss was Washington’s gain. The 6-foot-2, 304-pounder was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous AP All-American in 2023 with 52 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and 2 pass deflections. A
As the No. 36 overall pick, Newton is set to receive a 4-year, $9.75 million rookie contract.
Byron Murphy, the only defensive tackle selected in the first round, will receiver a rookie contract of 4 years, $16 million as the No. 16 overall pick by the Seattle Seahawks.
“Newton’s size and length don’t stand out, but he has shown a consistent ability to gain extension and set edges against bigger opponents,” wrote NFL analyst Lance Zierlein in his pre-draft evaluation. “Newton is clever in setting up blockers and then beating them with sudden hand usage and foot quickness as both a run defender and a pass rusher … His skill level and athleticism should create additional playmaking opportunities for him as a three-down 3-technique with early starting potential.”
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