Washington Commanders add another defensive tackle from Alabama

Former Murphy High School standout Taylor Stallworth returned to the NFL on Sunday with the Washington Commanders.

Washington announced it had signed the former Mobile prep star, giving the Commanders four defensive tackles with Alabama football roots. Terms were not disclosed.

Stallworth worked out for Washington last week before joining the eighth different NFL franchise of his career.

Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, the Commanders’ starting defensive tackles, are Crimson Tide alumni, and Payne was a high school standout at Shades Valley. Former Alabama defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis also is on Washington’s roster.

The Commanders obtained Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. But he has had two offseason foot surgeries.

Stallworth had been an unrestricted free agent since Dec. 26, when he was released by the San Francisco 49ers, his fourth team of 2023.

Stallworth began the 2023 NFL season on the practice squad of the Carolina Panthers. Released by the Panthers on Sept. 11, Stallworth joined the Houston Texans’ practice squad on Oct. 4. Released three days later by the Texans, he signed with the Tennessee Titans’ practice squad on Oct. 9. Stallworth got hurt in his only appearance of the 2023 season during a 24-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens 24-16 on Oct. 15 and landed on injured reserve. The Titans released Stallworth from IR on Nov. 14.

The 49ers signed Stallworth for their practice squad on Dec. 21, then released him five days later.

In 2018 as an undrafted rookie from South Carolina, Stallworth earned a spot in the New Orleans Saints’ defensive-interior rotation. He played 318 defensive snaps while contributing eight tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery in 14 regular-season games. Stallworth added five tackles in two playoff games.

In 2019, Stallworth spent most of the season on New Orleans’ practice squad, playing in the first game and the final three games. He made eight tackles while playing 93 defensive snaps.

After being waived by the Saints during training camp in 2020, Stallworth was picked up by the Indianapolis Colts and played in 16 games that season. He recorded 12 tackles and one-half sack while playing 253 defensive snaps.

Stallworth appeared in 16 games for the Colts in 2021. While playing a career-high 332 defensive snaps, Stallworth set a personal best with 16 tackles as he posted three sacks and 12 quarterback hits in 2021.

Stallworth had played 53 defensive snaps in six games for Kansas City when the Chiefs waived him on Dec. 6, 2022. The next day, he joined the Houston Texans as a waiver claim.

After Stallworth equaled his tackle total with the Chiefs by making four in his debut with the Texans in a 27-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 11, 2022, Houston placed him on injured reserve with a calf problem, and Stallworth missed the remainder of the season.

Stallworth sustained a hamstring injury during the Texans’ offseason program in 2023, and Houston released him on May 30. He recovered in time to join Carolina in training camp.

Stallworth has played in 58 NFL regular-season and four playoff games.

The Commanders kick off their three-game preseason schedule on Saturday against the New York Jets and start their regular-season slate on Sept. 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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