The Washington Commanders won't have third-year defensive lineman Johnny Newton available for most of the campaign after he suffered a torn pectoral muscle. Head coach Dan Quinn was expecting big things from the 2024 second-round pick this offseason, and one has to wonder just what his long-term future looks like now.
It's a disappointment for Newton, but the Commanders have to make the best out of a bad situation. And there might be an opportunity worth keeping a close eye on in the coming days to fill this void.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Chicago Bears are having trade discussions around Gervon Dexter Sr., and several teams are reportedly interested. Whether the Commanders are one of them remains to be seen, but there would be a lot of merit to making an inquiry to see what it might take to get him into the fold.
Commanders should be all over Gervon Dexter Sr. trade buzz after Johnny Newton injury
That seems like the minimum requirement. And even though the interior force is in the final year of his rookie deal, this would also be an investment in the future as well as the present.
"The Bears have had trade discussions involving DT Gervon Dexter, and there are multiple scenarios where a deal could get done sending him to a new team. Dexter, still just 24 years old, started all 17 games last season and has 13.5 career sacks and 42 QB hits. He’s in the final year of his rookie contract."
Dexter was a second-round pick by the Bears in 2023. After being brought along gradually as a rookie, he's come to life over the last two seasons, especially when it comes to generating pressure from the trenches en route to 11 sacks.
At 6-foot-6 and 312 pounds, Dexter creates leverage effortlessly. He can bulldoze opposing linemen, and he's got the closing speed to get quarterbacks off their spot quickly.
His inability to stop the run effectively is concerning. When factoring in all his skills together, Dexter looks like a ready-made, like-for-like replacement for Newton. And that is precisely what the Commanders need.
Commanders' trade for Gervon Dexter Sr. would provide an upgrade on Johnny Newton
They have Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw, and Tim Settle Jr. as the established starters on Daronte Jones' new 3-4 defense front. Dexter could slot in as Newton's replacement, becoming a key rotational piece and pass-rushing asset. Much will depend on the compensation involved, but it's certainly something to consider.
This becomes more feasible when examining the bigger picture.
Payne is out of contract next year and may not return. Kinlaw looks like a prime cut candidate if he cannot raise his performance levels, and Newton could fall into the same bracket after a luckless three years in Washington.
With nobody else offering long-term promise, aside from perhaps Settle, acquiring Dexter wouldn't be the worst idea in the world.
And if he performs well while also enhancing his ability to be a three-down presence, a new deal wouldn't be too far behind.
Peters has gone away from making trades this offseason, and rightfully so. The Commanders want to build the right way, but at 24, Dexter should have his best football ahead of him if the former Florida game-wrecker gets a clear run of luck on the health front.
Losing Newton is not ideal. The Commanders might be confident enough in what they have, but if the Bears aren't asking for too much, acquiring someone with Dexter's physical attributes would effortlessly fill the void.
And based on the production comparisons between Newton and Dexter, it would also be an upgrade.
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