What does Daron Payne extension buzz mean for Montez Sweat?

The Washington Commanders‘ offseason figures to be full of surprises.

That alone is bad for our anxiety levels, and what makes it worse is that the front office prefers to work in silence. After all, did anyone see Charles Leno’s extension coming? While negotiations moved quickly, the timing of the lucrative three-year agreement came as a shock to almost everyone.

Perhaps the biggest question mark hanging over the organization is how it addresses the quarterback position. Should the Commanders trade for an established superstar, who gets included in the return package?

The likes of Montez Sweat and Daron Payne have been floated as potential trade chips. Some folks would even be content with dealing Chase Young if it meant acquiring a Russell Wilson or someone of that ilk.

All we know is that Ron Rivera is open to the idea of trading homegrown talent to secure a quarterback trade. The head coach said so himself during a Wednesday interview with Ben Standig of The Athletic.

During their conversation, Rivera dropped a mini bomb on the fan base when he disclosed the team’s plans to initiate negotiations with Payne’s agents over a contract extension at next week’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

What does this all mean for Sweat then?

Does Montez Sweat suddenly not have a future with the Commanders?

“We have a tremendous amount of interest in making sure these guys are with us going forward,” Rivera said of Payne and Terry McLaurin.

There was no mention of Sweat, who was drafted a year after Payne and in the same draft class as McLaurin in 2019. While Sweat is entering the final year of his rookie contract, the Commanders picked up Payne’s fifth-year option last offseason.

The option is worth $8.5 million fully guaranteed. It’s unclear whether Payne is content with playing under the option, but that salary would serve as a noticeable raise compared to the $4.58 million he earned this past season. If he inks an extension this offseason, though, this whole conversation is moot.

As a former first-round pick, Sweat is a candidate to have his fifth-year option exercised this offseason. The window opened back in early January and Washington will have until the May 2 deadline to come to a decision.

Of course, picking up Sweat’s fifth year wouldn’t solidify his future. At this juncture, it’s looking like the former Mississippi State star is the safest bet of anyone else on the roster to be featured in a package for a quarterback.

Even if the Commanders don’t trade for a superstar, it’s tough to envision Sweat having a future in Ashburn.

The NFL salary cap, as fugazi as it is, makes it impossible for teams to invest too much money into one positional group while still remaining a contender. With Jonathan Allen locked up through 2025 and Payne potentially next in line, Washington might end up having to choose between Sweat and Chase Young.

That’s not a decision anyone wants to make, but it comes with the territory of having four first-round draft choices on the defensive line. Do they all deserve extensions? No doubt, but it would be franchise malpractice to pay all four of them.

Assuming Young has the nod over Sweat, it seems like the latter will be the odd man out on Washington’s defensive front.

While a lot can change during negotiations and it’d be premature to put it in stone, it feels like Sweat and the Commanders are destined for a breakup.