Commanders add defensive tackle help after multiple injuries
The Commanders were dealt a major blow, losing both Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw. Now, they're trying to replace them on the roster.
On Tuesday, the Washington Commanders announced the addition of defensive tackle Ricky Barber to their roster. This move came after a series of injuries to the team's defensive line, which now saw the departure of two of its starting defensive linemen and run stoppers for the remainder of the season.
Starting defensive tackle Daron Payne suffered a season-ending foot injury, while Javon Kinlaw also sustained a knee injury that forced him to undergo season-ending surgery. Running back Jeremy McNichols and defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton, both sidelined with foot injuries, have been placed on injured reserve, leaving the Commanders with just three defensive tackles on their active roster.
Veteran defensive tackle Byron Cowart was elevated from the practice squad to replace Kinlaw for a game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but with Payne and Kinlaw out for the season, the team had to find an alternative solution. They signed second-year defensive tackle Ricky Barber from the practice squad, who had spent his rookie year on the practice squad. Barber, a 25-year-old from UCF, had previously recorded five tackles and a sack in his first game with the Commanders, leading to his elevation to the 53-man roster.
Currently, the Commanders have only two defensive tackles on their active roster, but they also signed nine-year veteran defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale to the practice squad. Charles Omenihu and Deatrich Wise Jr., who can also play inside, join Barber in providing additional defensive tackle coverage.
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