Adam Peters faces some honest soul-searching this offseason. His grand plans to propel this ambitious project after the Washington Commanders reached the NFC Championship game have blown up spectacularly. Now, it's time to take stock and make the necessary changes as the 2026 recruitment period begins.
Some harsh truths are needed. The Commanders can point to injuries as a prominent factor in their demise, but this roster looks old and off the pace. And several young players who were expected to progress haven't met their billing, either.
One such example was one of Peters' first high-end draft picks upon taking the job. The Commanders thought they were getting a steal when defensive lineman Johnny Newton slipped through the cracks and into their laps at No. 36 overall in 2024. He was touted by almost every expert as a first-round lock, but health problems and questions about whether he could become a three-down force caused him to slide much lower than expected.
Commanders need more from Johnny Newton, and he hasn't delivered so far
Peters didn't think twice to bring Newton on board. His early development was stunted by foot surgeries. Still, the player's flashes as a pass rusher during his rookie campaign left fans hopeful he could become a bigger factor in 2025.
That hasn't materialized. Newton remains on the rotation, but nothing more. He's a liability against the run, failing to provide the strength or anticipation to make a difference. He can still offer explosiveness as a pass-rusher, but only 18 pressures this season doesn't exactly scream consistency when opportunities arise.
Newton's lowly 48.1 grade from Pro Football Focus ranks 103rd out of 128 qualifying interior defensive linemen with two games remaining. His snap count has plummeted from 51 percent as a rookie to 34% this season. He's still young enough to grow at 23 years old, but the increased urgency to accomplish this feat heading into the offseason cannot be overstated.
The former Illinois game-wrecker is held to a higher standard than most. Newton was picked just after the first round, so the Commanders were expecting a bigger return on their investment. And given his current career trajectory, it could go either way.
The Commanders are not going to give up on Newton this early. They saw something in the player before the draft, and they want to see if further progress can be made. However, that will not stop Peters from potentially finding reinforcements on the defensive front, depending on what happens with Daron Payne in the coming weeks.
What comes next is down to Newton, but it's not looking especially promising right now.