Remember when the Washington Commanders drafted former Alabama defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft to eventually replace Daron Payne after he left as a free agent in 2023?
That’s how things were supposed to go, right?
Unfortunately for Mathis, he injured his knee in Week 1 of the 2022 season and was lost for the season. His rookie season ended after just three defensive snaps and one snap on special teams. Washington, scrambling for depth, claimed defensive tackle John Ridgeway off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 19.
So, the day after Washington’s Week 2 loss at Detroit, they had found a replacement for Mathis in the rotation. The Cowboys tried to sneak Ridgeway to the practice squad, waiving him ahead of Week 2, but the Commanders wisely paid attention and claimed Ridgeway. He would become an integral part of Washington’s tackle rotation.
But it was Payne who was the story in 2022. The former 2018 first-round pick was playing on his fifth-year option and had the best season of his career. Payne set career-highs in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks, and tied Dave Butz’s record for single-season sacks by an interior defensive lineman with 11.5.
Payne made the Pro Bowl, along with fellow defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, and earned a four-year, $90 million contract from the Commanders in March.
Washington previously locked up Allen with a four-year contract in the summer of 2021.
The Commanders began OTAs Tuesday, and Mathis was back on the field, healthy, alongside Allen, Payne and Ridgeway. Zach Selby of commanders.com noted Mathis didn’t appear restricted at all.
Phidarian Mathis, who missed basically all of his rookie season with an injury, was back on the field and working with the second defensive group behind Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen. Per NFL rules, there was little contact between groups, but Mathis did not look bothered by his knee as he bull rushed offensive linemen on his way to the quarterback. The Commanders were excited about what Mathis could add to the front before he got hurt against the Jacksonville Jaguars, so having him back in the fold is an encouraging sign.
While Washington could have a crisis on its hands at defensive end in 2024 with its top five players on the depth chart slated for free agency, there are no such worries at defensive tackle. The Commanders’ depth on the interior is among the best — if not the best — in the NFL.
It’s certainly good to see Mathis back in the fold for Washington.
