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Washington Commanders rookie defensive tackle Johnny Newton will undergo a second foot surgery since January, head coach Dan Quinn announced Saturday.
Newton, the first of Washington’s three second-round selections, did not participate in on-field work during the first two days of rookie mini-camp. The reigning Big 10 defensive player of the year underwent surgery for a right foot Jones fracture in January. He watched Friday’s opening session with a walking boot on his left foot.
Quinn said next week’s procedure is also for a Jones fracture and the earlier “procedure done is actually doing really well.” The coach, in his initial post-draft comments beyond thoughts on first-round quarterback Jayden Daniels, declined to offer a recovery timeline for Newton.
“(Johnny) has an issue with the other foot. He’ll get a procedure done in the next week and then get back started and get going with the process again,” Quinn said.
“In some ways when you have to get a procedure done, better to do it early (or) that this didn’t happen in the end of August or in September where it sets you back,” Quinn said.
Quinn said Saturday the discovery of the left foot issue was something that came up “through the process of his checkup for his (right) foot. … When you check both, that’s where it came back. But yeah, by no means is this on him or anything to go or the team in a bad way. It was just honestly just an unfortunate act and then we’ll get him right.”
— Practice started a little differently than the contingent of media members on the sideline, which was significantly larger than normal, has been used to in previous years. After the team finished their stretches, they all sprinted over to the coaching staff, where there was a line of bags waiting for them on the ground. The players sprinted through them with the coaches cheering them on. Second-round pick Mike Sainristil said it was “pre-practice competition.”
“Just getting some juice in the air. That’s all it was.”
— Daniels was praised for his poise and footwork during the pre-draft process. Granted, Daniels didn’t face anything resembling a live pass rush, but both were on display as he went through individual drills. On one drill, he dropped back, slid to his right before cutting back to his left and completing a pass to an assistant coach downfield
7. Norell Pollard knows how to rush the passer.
Jer’Zhan Newton was considered a steal for the Commanders at No. 36 overall with many believing...
