The Washington Commanders may have to make do without their leading tackler for the most of their Week 7 matchup with the New York Giants. Starting middle linebacker Cody Barton suffered an ankle injury early in Sunday's game and is listed as questionable to return.
Barton suffered the injury in the first quarter against New York. He was slow to get up after going down, eventually walking off the field on his own power while being surrounded by team medical staff.
A third-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2019, Barton signed a one-year contract with Washington as a free agent in March, quickly ingratiating himself to the coaching staff. He led the Commanders with 60 tackles across the first six games of the season, adding one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery. The 26-year-old's play have nevertheless drawn ire from fans, though, obvious athletic limitations making him an easy target on a defense that ranks bottom-five in points allowed.
Barton was replaced in the lineup by backup middle linebacker David Mayo, a fifth-round pick of the Carolina Panthers all the way back in 2015. Mayo has spent the last two seasons in Washington, racking up 63 total tackles before 2023 kicked off while spending the vast majority of his field time on special teams. The 30-year-old entered Week 7 with just two defensive snaps this season, compared to 141 snaps on special teams.
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