Not much developed between the Commanders and Daron Payne this offseason. Ron Rivera indicated interest in keeping the former first-round pick long term at the Combine, but Washington ended up taking Phidarian Mathis in Round 2. Mathis is now out for the season, and Payne is steamrolling through a productive contract year.
The prospect of Payne staying in Washington beyond 2022 is not a dead issue just yet. The Commanders are “hopeful” they can keep Payne, a team official informed The Athletic’s Ben Standig (subscription required). Payne, 25, is playing out his fifth-year option season and is on track for free agency in March.
The Commanders’ refusal to part with Payne in a summer trade or a deadline deal helped them make a midseason turnaround; they are now pushing for another playoff berth during a season in which they opened 1-4. Payne played a major part of Washington’s similar path reaching the playoffs in 2020, and the Alabama product is having his most productive season at the ideal time. Payne already has totaled a career-high 6.5 sacks — a number that includes a safety — and his 13 tackles for loss are nearly double his previous best. With 14 quarterback hits, Payne is already just one shy of his career-best mark there. He is positioning himself to become one of 2023’s top free agents.
Complicating matters for the Commanders’ aim to retain Payne: their defensive line contract situation and a D-tackle market potentially set to spike. Of Washington’s four first-round D-linemen, only longtime Payne teammate Jonathan Allen is signed to a veteran contract. In addition to the prospect of Chase Young and Montez Sweat paydays, the Commanders keeping Payne would force them to allocate NFL-high money to their D-tackle spot.
Only three teams (the Eagles, Colts and Bengals) have even two D-tackles tied to $10MM-plus average salaries. Should Payne stick the landing to his contract year, he can reasonably shoot for a deal north of Allen’s $18MM-AAV extension. Allen is already the league’s fifth-highest-paid interior D-lineman, though that will almost certainly change soon. Jeffery Simmons and Quinnen Williams will undoubtedly push to bridge the gap between Aaron Donald ($31.7MM per year) and the field; Leonard Williams and DeForest Buckner are tied to the second-highest AAVs at this position — down at $21MM per annum. One agent informed Standig the expectation is the D-tackle market will balloon well past that $21MM-per-year place soon.
The Giants face a similar issue with their interior defenders. Pro Football Focus’ No. 2 overall D-tackle, Dexter Lawrence is headed toward his option year in 2023. Williams’ deal only runs through next season, however, giving Big Blue an interesting decision. The Commanders will soon face a choice of paying Allen and Payne upper-echelon money or letting the latter walk and saving up for Sweat and/or Young re-ups.
Washington would be able to create a chunk of cap space by moving Carson Wentz‘s contract off the books; the team would save $26.2MM with a release next year. Before any Wentz accounting, the Commanders are projected to possess just south of $20MM in cap space next year. A Payne franchise tag would eat into the team’s free agency cash, but this year’s Terry McLaurin extension did free up a 2023 tag. The D-tackle franchise tag came in at $17.4MM this year; OverTheCap projects 2023’s number at $18.1MM.
It will be interesting to see how the Commanders navigate their Payne situation ahead of the March tag deadline. D-tackle-needy teams will surely be monitoring that decision.
If Payne wants to stay in DC and continue to excel as bookends with college teammate Jonathan Allen, the Redskins should do everything to keep him. If Payne wants to move on, there’s no sense in signing him to a huge extension.
A journalist should interview Payne and ask him what he wants.
Journalist – Mr Payne, would do you want?
Payne – Show me the money!!!
It’s not that simple, and if it is, then Payne must leave DC. League leading contracts at every position simply doesn’t work in the salary cap era. Great teammates, a winning environment, stability count for something as well.
A good long term guarantee might be enough to sway Payne, as opposed to the highest per year value.
With all the drama surrounding Snyder and a possible ownership change, all bets are off on long term guarantees and stability.
Sure would look good with a star on his helmet.
NO ONE looks good with a star on their helmet…
America’s team!!! Like the Yankees or the Celtics!!!
SOUTH America’s team.
They should have traded him before the deadline – as there simply isn’t enough cap space to pay multiple players big money at the defensive line position. The big money needs to go to game changers – and with the rare exception made for freaks like Aaron Donald, nobody on the DL ever meets that criteria.
The Bears have the most cap space next year and a huge void in the front seven after all of the trades. If Payne is on the market they will be up there with a competitive bid.
phidarian, are you serious?
Have to think Wentz’s is gone so money should be available for Payne.
Man Lions have a lot of cap space and would love to see us be able to collapse the pocket with McNeil and Payne or Lawrence. Still need to see if our 2nd round pick can do this as well, Josh Pascal, seems like we are finally hitting on draft picks under Brad Holmes.