"The Washington Commanders turned in a much-improved performance before falling agonizingly short against the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football. Head coach Dan Quinn was right to go for a two-point conversion in overtime with nothing left to lose. Unfortunately, veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota couldn't get his pass over veteran edge rusher Nik Bonnito. There were several encouraging signs to take from the contest."
"Johnny Newton just isn't progressing enough. The second-year defensive tackle was seen as a steal when the Commanders ended his slide at No. 36 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He hasn't reached this status yet, but fans were hopeful he could progress with a full offseason free of the injuries that blighted his rookie transition. That hasn't come to fruition. Newton remains a rotational presence but nothing more. His anonymous contribution accounted for 29 percent of the team's defensive snaps versus the Broncos."
"Head coach Dan Quinn trusts his veteran defensive tackle trio of Javon Kinlaw, Daron Payne, and Eddie Goldman a lot more right now. They performed well, which only heightened Newton's lack of impact. The former Illinois standout failed to register a single defensive statistic, and his explosiveness in pass-rushing situations was completely stonewalled by Denver's offensive line more often than not."
The Washington Commanders improved but fell to the Denver Broncos in overtime when Marcus Mariota's two-point pass was broken up by Nik Bonnito. Dan Quinn opted to go for two with nothing to lose. Several positive signs emerged, but second-year defensive tackle Johnny Newton has not shown expected progression. Newton remains a rotational player, logging 29 percent of defensive snaps against Denver and producing no defensive statistics. Veteran interior linemen Javon Kinlaw, Daron Payne, and Eddie Goldman are trusted more and performed well, which underscores Newton's limited impact. A critical offseason looms for Newton unless he significantly develops.
Read at Riggo's Rag
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