The Washington Commanders’ defensive line depth took a massive hit after 2-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen suffered a season-ending torn pectoral muscle in their Week 6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Commanders will rely heavily on their other Pro Bowl defensive tackle, Daron Payne, to carry the workload. Not only will the team rely on Payne, but they will also rely on their rookie.
The Washington Commanders’ rookie will have big shoes to fill
Jer’Zhan Newton will replace Jonathan Allen in the starting rotation for the rest of the season. Newton missed their season opener to recover from offseason surgery and hasn’t played much in his first five games in his rookie season, but has slowly seen an uptick in snaps for the past two weeks. For example, he played 40.3% of defensive snaps in Week 5 and 54.4% in Week 6.
We will review his collegiate career, why he fell in the draft, and why he’s facing a pivotal rest of the season.
He played college football in the Big 10
Jer’Zhan Newton committed to the Illinois Fighting Illini as a three-star recruit for the 2020 season. Newton had an incredible career with the Fighting Illini, playing 45 games with 38 starts, recording 188 tackles, 30 TFLs, 18 sacks, five pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. The Associated Press named him to their All-American Second Team in 2022 and All-American First Team in 2023. Big Ten coaches named him to their All-Big Ten First Team in 2022 and 2023 and named him the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2023.
He fell in the draft, and why?
Jer’Zhan Newton fell to the Washington Commanders, who selected him with the 36th pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Newton fell in the draft for three main reasons.
First, he fell in the draft because he was considered undersized. He stands at 6’2″ and weighs around 295 pounds, while the ideal height for a defensive tackle is 6’2″ to 6’4″, and weight is anywhere from 300 to 335 pounds.
Second, he fell in the draft because of his issues with run defense. Scouts have criticized him for being vulnerable and inconsistent against the run. Opposing offensive linemen took advantage of him in college by doubling-teaming him on run plays.
Finally, he fell in the draft because of foot surgery in both feet. He dealt with a partial Jones fracture in his right foot during the 2023 season, for which he underwent surgery in January. He also underwent surgery after the draft because of a partial Jones fracture in the left foot.
Why he faces a pivotal rest of the season
Jer’Zhan Newton faces a pivotal rest of the season because he will replace Jonathan Allen as the starting defensive tackle. If he plays well and the Washington Commanders believe in him, he could not only be the starter of the future but sooner. If that holds true, the Commanders could move on from Allen after the season’s end.
2025 is Jonathan Allen’s last year of his 4-year, $72 million extension, signed during the 2021 offseason. He has a base salary of $15.5 million and a cap hit of $23 million for 2025. If the Commanders do part ways with him next offseason, they would free up $17 million in cap space but incur a dead cap hit of $6 million h/t Over The Cap.
