What happens to Commanders roster if Daron Payne gets extended?

The NFL offseason has a tendency to be wildly unpredictable, so fans of the Washington Commanders should prepare for the unexpected.

That goes beyond the search for a new quarterback, by the way. Between the restructuring of certain contracts, roster cuts and surprise extensions, the Commanders’ 2022 offseason seems poised to surprise on multiple fronts.

Ironically enough, Ron Rivera got the ball rolling in that regard when he told The Athletic‘s Ben Standig that Washington plans to open extension negotiations with Daron Payne, a player many  believed wanted out after his sideline spat with Jonathan Allen and he removed all traces of the team from his Instagram.

Like we said, the NFL offseason is a hotbed for surprises.

This doesn’t confirm that an agreement will get done, but extending Payne, who’s one of the elite players at his position, to maintain his defensive tackle partnership with Jonathan Allen would be a huge win for the Commanders.

With that said, though, Payne agreeing to a long-term contract could have a domino effect on the rest of Washington’s roster.

Examining some potential roster ramifications if the Commanders extend Daron Payne this offseason.

From a long-term perspective, Rivera’s comments don’t bode well for Montez Sweat’s future in Washington. With Allen and Payne locked up, Chase Young could demand a new deal if he rebounds with a big 2022.

If the front office is faced with choosing Sweat or Young, you have to think the former second overall pick would have the edge.

But let’s focus on the short-term or immediate ramifications of a Payne extension. For starters, the Alabama product’s return could give the Commanders incentive to release Matt Ioannidis, who’ll carry a $8.4 million cap hit for 2022.

Ioannidis’ deal comes with just a $1.5 million dead cap charge, so his release could save roughly $6.9 million against the cap. In turn, the team could re-sign pending free agent and fan favorite Tim Settle, who could be had at a much lower price than Ioannidis’ cap hit, and draft a prospect in the middle rounds for added depth.

Certainly not a bad trade-off, right?

Another thing to consider is when Payne’s extension kicks in and whether his cap number for 2022 (currently $8.5 million) would increase. Should it swell, Washington would likely have to reach out to players about restructuring their contracts.

Jonathan Allen, Landon Collins and Kendall Fullers are prime restructure candidates, and extending Ereck Flowers could free up some cash as well.

It’s also worth speculating whether a Payne deal would limit the team’s offseason spending budget. It’d be smart of Washington to backload his cap hits. With the NFL’s new television deals coming into play at the start of the 2023 regular season, the salary cap is going to skyrocket in a year’s time.

If Payne’s 2022 cap hit decreases (the more likely scenario), then the Commanders have more money to spend in free agency. It’s a win-win.

There’s a lot of variables at play here, clearly. The one thing fans should know, though, is that extending Payne isn’t going to be a standalone transaction.

Whether the team preserves some of its cap space during free agency (in the event negotiations extend up to or beyond the draft, like Rivera suggested), or it forces the front office to perform financial gymnastics as it pertains to releasing players or restructuring contracts, Payne will be at the center of it all.