Change will be coming for the Washington Commanders after their brutal 5-12 season in 2025 fell horribly short of expectations. The team will have two new coordinators and a roster that will look a lot different from the one Adam Peters assembled previously.
The Commanders have 30 pending free agents, and the vast majority of them should not be re-signed. There are also several big-name candidates for offseason cuts, and a few veterans who could be actively shopped on the trade block.
In the latter regard, Washington may be forced to say goodbye to one of its longest-tenured players. But it's time.
Commanders need to get as much value for Daron Payne as possible
When Daron Payne was drafted at No. 13 overall in 2018, Jay Gruden was the head coach. Alex Smith had just been acquired as the team's quarterback. The only player on Washington's roster who has been there longer than the Alabama product is punter Tress Way.
For many years, Payne and fellow Crimson Tide alum Jonathan Allen gave Washington a fearsome interior duo in the trenches. His best season came in 2022, when he recorded 11.5 sacks and made his only Pro Bowl appearance. But in the three years since then, his production has steadily dropped off.
Entering the final year of his four-year, $90 million contract, this is the time to seek a trade partner for Payne. He likely isn't going to return to his high-end starter form, but there may still be moderate interest in the eight-year pro. He could be a valuable asset for a win-now team looking to beef up its defensive line.
The Commanders only own six picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, and only two in the first four rounds, thanks to a multitude of selections given up for Marshon Lattimore, Deebo Samuel Sr., and Laremy Tunsil. Any capital Peters can net in return for him would be a positive, and it will also be important to unload Payne so that Washington can focus on getting younger.
Washington could sign a younger, cheaper player to replace Payne, or put its trust in the development of Johnny Newton, who showed flashes in the pass-rush game toward the end of the 2025 season despite his limitations as a run stopper. Either way, it's time for a change of scenery for the longtime stalwart.
Payne has given plenty to the Commanders organization, but much like Allen last year, he simply does not fit into the team's future plans. Peters will need to be aggressively working the phone to find a deal.