Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports

Re-signing Daron Payne should be Commanders' top free-agent priority

By Ryan McCafferty | Last updated 1/26/23

Of all the impending Washington Commanders free agents, defensive tackle Daron Payne is the most important.

Re-signing Payne, who was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2022, should be a no-brainer. But his status with the Commanders apparently is uncertain.

During locker cleanout, Daron Payne said the following about his potential new deal: "I just want what I've earned."

Will the Commanders give him that? https://t.co/m5IajFTCUz
— Ethan Cadeaux (@Ethan_Cadeaux) January 12, 2023

When he cleaned out his locker earlier this month, Payne wore an all-green jump suit -- perhaps symbolic of all the money he aims to collect in the offseason.

Lotta green for Daron Payne today. A preview of his offseason contract negotiations pic.twitter.com/Z8kaPqWgfF
— Pete Hailey (@PeteHaileyNBCS) January 9, 2023

Payne was not drafted by the current front office, so that could be why the team hasn't signed him. But neither was Jonathan Allen, who was signed to a four-year extension last summer.

Payne, who set a career high with 11.5 sacks in 2022, and Allen formed one of the best defensive line duos in the NFL and the nucleus of the Commanders' gritty identity under HC Ron Rivera.

Payne is only 25 and has only missed one game during his NFL career, so age and durability are definitely not issues.

The only reasonable holdup must be his price tag, but when you have a player of Payne's caliber, you find a way to pay him.

Per Spotrac, Payne has an average annual value of $19.4 million.

There is always a risk of overpaying a player, who subsequently fails to live up to a contract. But watching that player dominate while wearing a different jersey is an even bigger risk, and it's not one Washington can afford to take.

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