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Washington Football Team: Five players to watch in Week 3 vs. Browns

By Jacob Camenker

LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 23: Cornerback Kendall Fuller #29 of the Washington Football Team celebrates wtih free safety D.J. Swearinger #36 and cornerback Bashaud Breeland #26 after intercepting a pass thrown by quarterback Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants (not pictured) in the fourth quarter at FedExField on November 23, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 23: Cornerback Kendall Fuller #29 of the Washington Football Team celebrates wtih free safety D.J. Swearinger #36 and cornerback Bashaud Breeland #26 after intercepting a pass thrown by quarterback Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants (not pictured) in the fourth quarter at FedExField on November 23, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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LANDOVER, MD – SEPTEMBER 13: Daron Payne #94 and Chase Young #99 of the Washington Football Team tackle Carson Wentz #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles in the second half at FedExField on September 13, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD – SEPTEMBER 13: Daron Payne #94 and Chase Young #99 of the Washington Football Team tackle Carson Wentz #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles in the second half at FedExField on September 13, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

5. DL Daron Payne

While a lot of the attention on Washington’s defensive line has, rightfully, gone to Chase Young and Montez Sweat as their young edge duo of the future, some attention is due to the excellent play of the interior line.

Notably, Daron Payne has been fantastic for Washington this year. Just looking at the stat line doesn’t do his play justice. He has 0.5 sacks and just three tackles on the year, but he has made a far bigger impact than those numbers have indicated.

Payne has done an excellent job of generating pressure from the interior to disrupt both the run and pass games. Thanks to his elite athleticism for a nose tackle, Payne has been able to burst through the line numerous times to make plays. Whether it’s pressuring the quarterback or forcing a running back to adjust his path as a runner, Payne has been a disruptor.

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Payne is one of the No. 1 reasons that Washington has been so good against the run to start the season. Washington will need him to provide that same sort of impact in Week 3, as the Browns have one of the best rushing attacks in the league.

Headlined by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, the Browns duo just absolutely gashed the Cincinnati Bengals. Washington will be looking to avoid the same fate, but they are surely better equipped to stop the run than a Cincinnati team that was missing two of their top three defensive tackles.

If Payne can attack the weakness of the Browns’ offensive line, right guard Wyatt Teller, he should have a chance to disrupt the flow of the Cleveland offense. He needs to be watched for sure as it feels like he should be bound to have a huge game at some point in the near future.

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