Washington Commanders Place Rookie DT Jer'Zhan Newton on NFI List: Details

Jer'Zhan Newton will start his first training camp for the Washington Commanders on the sidelines.
Oct 21, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA;  Illinois Fighting Illini defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton (4) tackles Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen (0) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 21, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton (4) tackles Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen (0) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
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The Washington Commanders are set to begin training camp next week, but they will be doing so without one of their top rookies.

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Commanders are placing second-round rookie defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton on the Non-Football Injury list after he underwent foot surgery in the offseason.

READ MORE: 'Matter of Time' Before NFL Adopts New 18-Game Regular Season

Newton, who turns 22 next month, spent four years at the University of Illinois, slowly becoming one of the better defensive tackles in the country. He recorded 52 tackles and 7.5 sacks in his final season with the Illini and earned some buzz as a potential first-round selection. However, he slid into the early part of the second round, where the Commanders swooped in and picked him with the No. 36 overall selection.

With Newton down to start training camp, the Commanders will have Jonathan Allen, Da'Ron Payne, Phidarian Mathis and John Ridgeway III as the team's top defensive tackles.

Commanders training camp is set to begin for rookies on Sunday while veterans report on Thursday.

READ MORE: Washington Commanders President Jason Wright to Leave After '24 Season

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

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More Washington Commanders News

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• Washington Commanders Offensive Line: Among Worst in NFL?


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Jeremy Brener

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.