Redskins X-Factors for the second half of the 2018 season
By Ian Cummings
No. 4 – DT Daron Payne
Daron Payne was asked to stuff the run in college. He did that. Now, in the NFL, he’s been asked to do everything along the realm of possibility for an interior lineman. He’s made stops behind the line of scrimmage. He’s rushed the passer. And he’s taken on double teams.
And he’s done it all like a seasoned veteran.
The impact incurred by 2018 first-round pick Daron Payne has been swift and momentous; his arrival has coincided with the emergence of a near-dominant defensive line, stocked with young, ascending talents such as Payne, Jonathan Allen, Matt Ioannidis, Preston Smith, and Ryan Anderson. Factor in savvy, stringent veteran Ryan Kerrigan, and you have a unit to be feared.
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None of it would be possible without Payne, whose sheer strength has been an asset for the Redskins on the middle of the line. Through seven games, Payne has 3.0 sacks, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a pass deflection, and 25 combined tackles. The play of his defensive line has impacted all levels of defense; the linebackers can be more aggressive, and the defensive backs don’t have to cover as long with the added pressure.
There is a direct correlation between Payne’s arrival and the arrival of a top shelf defense in D.C., and if this play is to continue, the Redskins will need Payne, a young and surprisingly disruptive X-Factor, to keep doing what he does best.
Everything.