The Commanders can turn a negative into a major positive that will have long-term impact as well on a young player
Payne has been one of the more productive players on defense, even with all of their struggles, and he leaves big shoes to be filled. Quinn talked about how much of a loss it is for the defense, and Johnny Newton will be the starter on Sunday with Payne out.
"Yeah, we'll miss Daron [Payne] for sure inside," Quinn said. "His presence, the physicality. Johnny Newton and Javon Kinlaw will be the two who will feature the most inside. And then Eddie Goldman
and Sheldon Day would be there behind them. But we're pleased with the development that
Johnny's taking, especially on the pass rush side. He has had some injuries coming into last year and
I felt like it took him this season, this preseason, to hit his stride and hit the next spot. And I feel like he's doing that. So, we'll lean in more on him for sure here.”
Newton hasn't played a ton of snaps this season, with 220 through the first 10 games. That's an average of 22 snaps per game, and his total is 92nd in the league. To give context, the Commanders played 70 defensive snaps against the Lions, and they need to see more of what Newton brings.
We haven't heard Newton's name much this season outside of the tipped ball that Mike Sainristil intercepted against the Los Angeles Chargers, but he's quietly put up 13 pressures, nine hurries, and two sacks. They need all the production they can get for a pass-rushing unit that has struggled since they lost Dorance Armstrong for the season. Newton's development is also a huge factor in the rebuild of the defense that will happen this offseason, as a young piece of the roster.
Cowboys fans in tears over what AJ Brown just said about Eagles' offense
The Dallas Cowboys have had precious few moments to point at the rival Philadelphia Eagles and laugh during the duration of the 2025 season, but the continued refusal to get star wide receiver A.J. Brown involved in offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo's offense has been the subject of league-wide mockery.
Brown hasn't looked right all season, and the Eagles have seemingly gone out of their way to avoid making him a featured part of their offense. Even against Dallas' pitiful secondary, Brown only managed one catch, and it came at the very end of the contest.
Brown, who has just 408 yards and three touchdowns on the season, has seemingly accepted the fact that he is going to put together some below-average numbers for the remainder of the campaign. Brown told fantasy football managers who have him on their teams to drop him. Could this be the predecessor to a trade? Brown certainly is not someone who hides his true feelings.
If the Eagles somehow manage to fumble a key piece of what could be a dynastic run by hiring a clueless offensive coordinator who is unable to maximize him, the Cowboys should count their lucky stars that Philly proverbially shot themselves in the leg to such a sharp degree.
Cowboys fans can laugh as AJ Brown may reignite Eagles trade rumors
Not only has Devonta Smith seemingly leapfrogged Brown (who is posting the lowest yards per game numbers of his career) on the depth chart, but he is also behind tight end Dallas Goedert in receptions. There's no way Brown has had that quick of a physical decline.
While Jalen Hurts has only thrown one interception on the season, that is a result of this passing attack being extremely conservative. With Saquon Barkley failing to capture his 2024 glory days, this offense is so sluggish that even the Cowboys held their own against it.
While it might be a bit before Dallas is able to put together a roster that can make Philadelphia really start to sweat atop the NFC East, losing Brown at a time when there are not very many star wide receivers available to replace him might be the fatal blow that truly knocks this offense down a peg.
Even though the notoriously moody Brown is in the middle of a big contract that might be difficult to move, one should never underestimate the ability of a top wide receiver to pitch a fit and eventually find his way into the trade market.
