Rookie defensive tackle Johnny Newton missed the opener last week in Tampa, rehabbing from a Jones Fracture that required surgery.
He worked in pads last week but was deemed not yet ready for a regular-season intensity in the Tampa heat and Buccaneers offensive line.
He’s continued to get in some work this week in pads, and head coach Dan Quinn is watching Newton closely in hopes that he will be ready this week.
“I felt really good, honestly, going in,” Quinn told the media. Friday. “So we’ve stuck to the plan, so we got a good bit there, some more today (Friday). And we’ll take it into tomorrow really, to make the assessment to see how the workload of the last couple of days (results). It was really cool to see him get going. So he is trending in the right spot for us for sure.”
Newton was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and thus drafted by the Commanders at No. 36 overall. However, shortly after being drafted, he required surgery to repair his Jones Fracture (foot). He has now had surgery on both feet since completing his senior season at Illinois.
If Newton can go on Sunday, it would immediately mean some more breaks for Jon Allen and Daron Payne during a game. It would also mean he would take some snaps from Phidarian Mathis or Sheldon Day.
