3 reasons Commanders extending Daron Payne was the right call

There are reasons to suggest that the Washington Commanders made the right call by giving defensive tackle Daron Payne a long-term extension.

After a nervous wait, the Washington Commanders took care of Daron Payne with a bumper new contract that keeps the stud defensive tackle around for the next four years. Multiple reports suggest that the contract is worth $90 million with $60 million guaranteed, which was a significant financial outlay but keeps one of their core components on defense around for the foreseeable future.

Payne was set to be a hot commodity on the free-agent market before the Commanders slapped on the franchise tag. Ron Rivera was keen to state his seriousness about getting something worked out well ahead of time, which is the latest in a growing list of players drafted by Washington that have been rewarded for their fine contributions.

This represents a statement of intent from the Commanders ahead of an important offseason. One that could include a new owner if Dan Snyder finally gets the offer he’s looking for to relinquish power.

With this in mind, here are three reasons why tying down Payne was the right call.

Reason No. 1

Commanders got a team-friendly deal

Daron Payne was always going to get a major contract. However, the Washington Commanders managed to construct it in a team-friendly way that provides extra flexibility in 2023 and beyond.

Payne counts a little more than $10 million against the cap next season and when it rises in the coming years, Washington has much more financial wiggle room to cope. Something that could allow them to extend Montez Sweat or be aggressive in free agency.