On Saturday, the Washington Commanders waived former Alabama defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis. The decision comes at an interesting time considering Mathis has been a part of the defensive line rotation all season long, and the Commanders are amid a playoff push.
Mathis was drafted in 2022 by the Commanders. In his NFL debut, Mathis suffered a torn meniscus. He has battled multiple injuries over the course of his NFL career. However, he managed to work his way into earning meaningful snaps for the Commanders in 2024. In 12 games, Mathis recorded 17 tackles and two tackles for loss.
The move could have been made to free up a roster spot for former Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen to return from injured reserve. Allen has missed the last nine games with a partially torn pec.
Mathis will be able to be claimed off of waivers by another team. It will be interesting to see if a playoff-caliber team takes a chance on Mathis to bolster its defensive line depth or if Mathis goes unclaimed and becomes a free agent. Regardless, Mathis will be on an NFL roster by the start of the 2025 season.
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Brody Smoot is a team reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “follow” him on X, via @brodysmoot.
