The Washington Commanders might be back in a winning feeling, but the same injury problems keep surfacing. And head coach Dan Quinn is now dealing with another hammer blow in the defensive trenches.
Daron Payne's fractured foot will now rule him out for the season and remove any hopes general manager Adam Peters had of trading the Pro Bowler before the 2026 deadline. Concerns also surrounded fellow defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw, and they have turned out to be much worse than originally feared.
ESPN insider Adam Schefter revealed that Kinlaw has undergone season-ending surgery on an MCL injury, leaving coordinator Daronte Jones without his starting 3-4 defensive ends. It's a major setback as the Commanders build momentum, so it'll be fascinating to see where things go from here.
Javon Kinlaw's injury raises the stakes for Johnny Newton's Commanders return
These setbacks are disappointing. They also highlight the urgency around Johnny Newton's return to practice.
Newton's 21-day return window was opened last week after recovering from a torn pectoral. He was originally listed as questionable for Washington's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but following additional conditioning tests, the Illinois product was downgraded to out.
With another week of practice to sharpen his skill set, Newton stands a better chance of featuring at Northwest Stadium this weekend against the Los Angeles Rams.
And the Commanders need him more than ever.
Payne and Kinlaw were central to the defensive strategy. The former was still playing well, and the latter showed real promise after an underwhelming first season with the club.
Now, neither will be around for the rest of 2026. And depending on general manager Adam Peters' offseason decisions, this may be the last anyone sees of them in a Washington uniform.
Newton is also on shaky ground regarding his future prospects. But with Payne and Kinlaw missing, he should get plenty of opportunities to prove his worth.
Johnny Newton has to come through for Commanders' depleted defensive front
Whether he can take them is another matter.
Hopes for Newton were incredibly high. The Commanders thought they had a steal at No. 36 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, but foot injuries prevented him from making an instant impression.
Newton showed real flashes as a pass rusher in Year 2, including three sacks against the Dallas Cowboys. However, his run-stopping strength lacks consistency, and unless that changes, he will be nothing more than a rotational specialist.
That would have been fine with Payne and Kinlaw in the starting lineup.
Sadly, that's no longer the case. And even though the Commanders have other options, this is precisely why they drafted Newton.
They wanted him to become a genuine three-down force. They wanted him to evolve into a franchise cornerstone to build around for the next decade. And they wanted him to silence his pre-draft doubters after his top-15 talent plunged out of the first round entirely.
He hasn't met these markers as yet, but there is still time.
And now that Payne and Kinlaw are done for the campaign, there will never be a better opportunity for Newton to showcase what he is truly capable of.
Let's see if he can deliver when his team needs it most.
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