Commander Country

Commanders Rookie Expected to See Role Increase

The Washington Commanders should get more out of their young defensive lineman.

Jeremy Brener

Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois defensive lineman Johnny Newton (DL20) speaks at a press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois defensive lineman Johnny Newton (DL20) speaks at a press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The Washington Commanders are getting ready to play the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football.

The game marks the second in the career of second-round defensive tackle Johnny Newton, who was the No. 36 overall pick in this year's draft out of Illinois.

Newton dealt with a foot injury during training camp, which bled into the first week of the regular season. That meant he had to wait for his NFL debut a week later, and he played 12 defensive snaps in a win against the New York Giants.

The Commanders believe he will play more against the Bengals.

"He really had a good week, I really felt him," Commanders coach Dan Quinn said. "Sometimes you need that game, to get in, get the tackle, get hitting. And so today he was able to – or [I should say] this week I thought, really able to express himself. You felt the speed, you felt the movements. And we're excited to get him more reps.”

The Commanders are very high on Newton, taking him with their second-round pick despite having Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and 2022 second-round pick Phidarian Mathis at the position.

Washington thinks Newton can be a long-term piece on the defensive line and he is believed to only improve more as the season rolls along.

He'll have a chance to showcase his growth tomorrow against the Bengals. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET on ABC.

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

More Washington Commanders News

• Commanders Face Hungry, Winless Bengals in Week 3

• How Commanders Can Take Advantage of Bengals OL

• Commanders Eye Bigger Role for Terry McLaurin

• Commanders Coach Praises Bengals Star

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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.

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