Jonathan Allen provides update on Phidarian Mathis with Washington Commanders

Three snaps into his NFL career, Phidarian Mathis was being loaded onto a cart to be ferried to the locker room. When the pile had unpiled after a 1-yard run by Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson on Sept. 11, 2022, the Washington Commanders defensive lineman didn’t get up.

Mathis suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee, and surgery and recovery sent the former Alabama standout to injured reserve for the rest of his rookie season.

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Mathis has been back on the field with his teammates this week on Tuesday and Wednesday as Washington started the OTA portion of its offseason schedule.

“He looks good,” Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen said about Mathis on Wednesday. “I feel for him. I broke my foot my rookie year, so I know what it’s like to miss most of the season, so he’s just excited to get back and be with the guys. You know, when you get hurt as a young guy, the biggest thing you realize is you just miss doing the little stuff. You miss stretching with the team. You miss working out with the team. All the things that a lot of guys sometimes complain about, you miss it when it’s not there, so he’s hungry and he’s ready to work, and he’s going to be great for us this year.”

Mathis joined Washington in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, penciled in to back up Allen and Daron Payne. Like Mathis, the Commanders’ starting defensive tackles are Alabama alumni. Both were Pro Bowl selections last season.

In the offseason, Washington added Abdullah Anderson to its defensive interior in free agency. Anderson started eight games and played in 16 for the Atlanta Falcons last season.

The Commanders did not draft an interior defensive lineman last month.

“A great young man,” Washington defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio said about Mathis during a video interview for the Commanders’ website on Wednesday. “We were excited about adding him last year. Get him returning this year, and really believe that he’s got a chance to impact us in the middle of our defense.”

Over the past 14 NFL drafts, 21 Alabama defensive linemen have been chosen. Allen in 2017 and Payne in 2018 are two of the four first-round picks in the group, joining Marcell Dareus in 2011 and Quinnen Williams in 2019.

The Commanders have reached Phase 3 of their offseason program, when teams are allowed to conduct 10 days of organized team practice activity, often referred to as OTAs. No live contact is permitted, but teams can expand their workouts to include 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.

A mandatory minicamp also can be held during this period. Washington’s will be held June 6-8.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.