When the Washington Commanders spent their first of three second-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft on Johnny Newton, those in power thought they'd hit the jackpot. Almost two years into his professional career, that's not the case anymore.
Newton had a first-round grade with most experts. General manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn presented him with the Commander Gold Tag, reserved for primary targets who align with their desired ethos. When he slipped through the cracks and into their laps at No. 36 overall, Washington didn't hesitate to bring him on board.
It's starting to look like Newton might never live up to his pre-draft billing. The former Illinois game-wrecker is firmly behind Javon Kinlaw, Daron Payne, and Eddie Goldman in the pecking order. Whenever he gets the chance to shine in the lineup, he fails to deliver. That was evident once again during a woeful outing against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14.
Johnny Newton has hard work ahead to meet Commanders' pre-draft expectations
The interior lineman blew a run fit when a little more awareness would have resulted in a tackle for loss. Newton overcommitted, not for the first time this season, and it eventually became his undoing.
The second-year pro failed to register a positive statistic from 35.9 percent of the team's defensive snaps. Newton has one tackle over the last three games from 65 snaps. This is utterly indefensible, and it's hard to know what the future holds from here.
Washington isn't going to give up on Newton. They invested heavily in his talent, and Year 3 is typically when teams get a good feel for what a draft pick could become. Regardless, the upcoming offseason is an immensely important one for both the player and the club.
Newton flashed promise, especially in pass-rushing situations. His consistency is nowhere near the level required, and it's buried him as a rotational piece when most fans were expecting him to be a prominent feature by now. The jury is still out on whether he'll ever become a starting-caliber option, and he's not the only member of Washington's 2024 draft class struggling to make the expected strides.
The Commanders are officially out of playoff contention after their embarrassing beatdown at the Vikings, not like they ever had much chance in the first place. That must come with a shift to youth from the coaching staff, so getting Newton more reps over Washington's final four games is imperative.
If it doesn't pay off, so what? At least the Commanders will know for sure that Newton can't be trusted, and what more he needs to do in pursuit of turning the tide.
After all, there is nothing left to lose.