3 landing spots for Commanders’ Daron Payne before trade deadline

1. Cleveland Browns

The Browns probably need to change defensive coordinators because their defense has too much talent to be performing as poorly as they have this season. Between Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, Jadeveon Clowney, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Greg Newsome, Cleveland has elite talents at all three levels of the field.

Having said that, the interior defensive line is a concern. Rookie Perrion Winfrey’s managed five tackles and two passes defended and starters Jordan Elliott and Taven Bryan rank No. 111 and No. 82 amongst interior defenders, according to PFF, as Elliott owns a 33.5 player grade and Bryan’s 53.0 mark isn’t cutting it.

Browns GM Andrew Berry just made a big move for Falcons linebacker Deion Jones. As evidenced by that splurge, and the offseason trades for Deshaun Watson and Amari Cooper, Berry is no stranger to offloading draft picks for win-now pieces.

Payne could be just that spark Cleveland’s underachieving defense needs (they rank 24th in rushing yards allowed and 23rd in yards per carry) and he’d be poised to sign an extension as the Browns only have big money committed to Garrett and Ward on the defensive side of the ball, unlike Washington, which already signed Jon Allen and has to store resources to pay Chase Young, Kam Curl and Montez Sweat.