Contract year Daron Payne seems ready to make the Commanders look brilliant

The Washington Commanders had a dilemma on their hands with Daron Payne this offseason. With only one year remaining on his lucrative deal, rumors were swirling, but it turned out to be a lot of speculation for almost nothing.

Some experts thought Payne could be released or traded, given the Commanders' lack of capital at the top of the draft. Fans had trepidation about giving the interior defensive lineman another megabucks deal before the season. General manager Adam Peters did neither, keeping the player around while also not offering him any more years on an agreement.

That makes this a contract year for Payne. As Washington fans know, that brings a different beast out of the former Alabama standout.

Commanders veteran Daron Payne is looking to prove himself again in a contract year

And the latest social media posts prove it.

Payne's best campaign of his professional career came in 2022 by a wide margin. It was the final year of his rookie deal, and the lineman was nothing short of phenomenal. He gained 11.5 sacks, was a game-wrecking force alongside Jonathan Allen, and earned Pro Bowl honors as a result of his exceptional efforts.

That was enough for Ron Rivera to give Payne a four-year, $90 million extension. The production has been nowhere near as high since, though one has to wonder just how much of that is due to the lack of legitimate support around him in the trenches.

The Commanders made significant upgrades to their defensive front seven this offseason. Payne will likely be deployed as a 3-4 defensive end, and he is putting in the work to hit the ground running. There is something about money that motivates everyone. And if Washington's defense gets the lift expected from its longest-serving starter in this group, standing pat will be a masterstroke from Peters.

Washington hasn't boxed itself in, either.

Peters always puts the business and the team's best interests first. We saw that last summer with wide receiver Terry McLaurin. The swiftness of left tackle Laremy Tunsil's extension was another example. Waiting to see how things unfold with Payne is the right call. And if it doesn't work out, the Commanders will get a decent compensatory pick when he leaves the club.

That's for the future. For now, optimism is immensely high.

Payne is setting the tone. He looks explosive and athletic. And he's highly motivated to remind the world why he was considered one of the league's most dominant young defensive linemen once upon a time.

Contract year Payne is back. And if the same trend continues, the NFL will be on notice.

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