Commanders insider puts Daron Payne on blast before career-defining season

The stakes have been raised for everyone across the Washington Commanders heading into the 2025 campaign. This is no more evident than the situation involving defensive tackle Daron Payne.

One team insider highlighted the critical season awaiting Payne next time around. This is going to have big-time career ramifications, so nothing but significant improvements will do.

Payne is a curious case. He looked like a future All-Pro after a sensational 2022 campaign, which not coincidentally came in a contract year. The Commanders gave him a bumper payday as a result, but he's never reached these heights since.

The former first-round pick out of Alabama is leading the defensive tackle room in 2025. Washington released Jonathan Allen heading into the final year of his deal. That leaves Payne as the top dog, and his performance levels must increase as a result.

Commanders insider puts Daron Payne's future firmly under the microscope

Ben Standig from The Athletic highlighted Payne's outlook in greater detail before OTAs. The insider urged the interior force to become more impactful, especially considering the questions surrounding Washington's defensive front. It's a crossroads scenario for the lineman, one that could see a new contract arrive or risk being cut ahead of time, depending on how things shake out.

At a minimum, [Daron] Payne is a forceful lineman worthy of double-teams. Even if there’s a role/usage excuse following last year’s coaching staff change, the hulking 320-pounder rarely made a distinct presence in games compared to those 2022 highs. Doing so this season would not only help lift a potentially meh line, but also put Payne in a position for another significant contract from Washington or another team entering his age-29 season. Otherwise, he’s an obvious salary-cap cut next offseason and a reason why Washington’s defensive ceiling wouldn’t rise in 2025.Ben Standig

Payne should know the ramifications of underperformance. He's the team's biggest salary-cap hit at $26.17 million. If he doesn't live up to this lofty financial commitment, general manager Adam Peters won't hesitate to remove him from the equation.

This is the new way Washington is doing business. It keeps urgency high with raised expectations on their shoulders. Anyone not pulling their weight won't last long. Payne must throw everything into the campaign and become the dominant game-wrecker that took the NFL by storm just a few short years ago.

Payne has the talent. He'll also be ably assisted by free-agent signing Javon Kinlaw and last year's second-round pick Johnny Newton. That'll help greatly, but this is his big chance to step out of Allen's shadow and prove his worth as a franchise cornerstone.

If not, this could be his last campaign in Washington.

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