Johnny Newton is set to be back in the lineup Sunday.
The Washington Commanders announced Saturday that the third-year defensive tackle has been activated for their game against the Los Angeles Rams at Northwest Stadium, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. ET. Washington also put wide receiver Dyami Brown on injured reserve and elevated rookie wide receiver Jaden Bradley from the practice squad.
Brown’s second stint with the Commanders has not gone the way either side likely hoped. He came back on a one-year prove-it deal in March after leaving for the Jacksonville Jaguars following the 2024 season.
He did haul in a touchdown against the Cowboys in Week 2, though officials did not rule it a touchdown, and beyond that he has struggled to make much of an impact. The one area where Brown has consistently helped Washington is as a blocker.
Newton’s path back has been longer. He tore a pectoral muscle in the preseason against the Dolphins and now returns after his 21-day practice window opened two weeks ago. The 36th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has also fallen short of expectations so far, and he’ll be looking to make a stronger imprint in Daronte Jones’ new defensive system.
Bradley, meanwhile, may get a real chance to show what he can do. He stood out at times in the preseason, and while plenty of practice-squad receivers flash in August, Washington’s injury situation opens the door here.
With Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown on injured reserve and Treylon Burks also sidelined for this game, Bradley could find himself in a meaningful role. Brown is expected to miss Weeks 9 through 12 and can return for Week 13.
In Other News...
Commanders Face An Awkward Mike Sainristil Question At Trade Deadline
As the NFL trade deadline approaches, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated put a couple of Commanders names into the conversation, including Mike Sainristil and Dorance Armstrong. For Washington, the Sainristil mention is the more awkward one, because he was a 2024 second-round pick and arrived with real expectations after a strong start to his pro career.
Sainristils role has changed this season as his performance has dipped, and he has been working mostly on special teams. Even with that downturn, Washington has not opened trade talks involving him and still wants to keep developing him, which leaves the front office with a familiar deadline dilemma: listen to outside interest, or stay patient with a young player it still believes in. [Read more 🡒]
Adam Peters Faces A Defining Call As Commanders Hit A Crossroads
The Commanders are heading toward a stretch that could shape how aggressively Adam Peters approaches the 2026 trade deadline, and a lot may depend on whether the team can steady itself in the coming weeks. Washingtons roster has already been thinned by injuries at several spots, leaving the front office with a clearer view of where the depth concerns are and how much help might be needed if the season stays on track.
A key game against the Rams looms as part of that evaluation, with playoff hopes still tied to how the Commanders respond to the pressure around them. Peters has been measured since taking over the roster, but this is the kind of moment where a general manager has to decide whether to stand pat, add around the edges or push harder if the team shows it can remain in the hunt. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Finally Get Needed Help As Injury Questions Keep Growing
The Commanders are getting a much-needed boost up front as the injury picture keeps getting murkier. Washington is activating defensive tackle JerZhan Newton from injured reserve after he spent the first half of the season sidelined by a pectoral tear, a timely addition for a defensive line that has already been hit hard by season-ending injuries to Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw.
Even with that reinforcement coming, the roster shuffle keeps going. Dyami Brown is headed to injured reserve, and Jaden Bradley is being elevated from the practice squad as Washington continues to patch together depth while the absences pile up on both sides of the ball. [Read more 🡒]