Around this time last year, the Washington Commanders released veteran defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. The club’s 2017 first-round draft pick had seemed disenchanted for a few years and was ready to move on. Adam Peters granted his wish.
The Commanders had Johnny Newton entering his second season and were preparing to pay big money for a very big man — Javon Kinlaw. Of course, they still had Daron Payne.
Now, with one year left on his contract and the Commanders continuing to struggle on defense, it’s hard not to see the shadow of Allen when looking at Payne.
There are rumors that Peters might be looking to trade him or even simply release him outright, as he did last year with Allen. Some reports also suggest the Commanders will let the interior defensive lineman play out the last year of his contract. Regardless, it feels like the clock is ticking on his time in Washington.
Daron Payne could still play for the Commanders in 2026, but nothing is certain after that
Payne is the last remaining piece of a failed master plan. Washington chose a defensive lineman in the first round of the draft in four consecutive years. Allen, Payne, Montez Sweat, and Chase Young were supposed to be the bedrock of a championship team — an explosive and talented defensive line that could shut down the run and pressure the quarterback.
It’s hard to pinpoint why it failed so miserably. Injuries contributed. Talent may have been overvalued. And the entire defensive coaching scheme left much to be desired.
There is plenty of blame to spread around, but the bottom line is that it simply didn’t work. Even before Peters arrived, the Commanders began selling off parts in order to rebuild.
Ideally, Payne would be a part of that rebuild. Teams always need veteran leadership when they are developing young players. But, as with everything else related to the Commanders' defense in 2025, the Alabama product underperformed.
His sacks were down to their lowest total since 2020. Payne recorded his second straight season with fewer than 50 tackles. He had never been below 50 until 2024.
Most importantly, he got himself thrown out of a blowout loss to the Detroit Lions in the middle of the season and had to serve a suspension. He was unable to play in a winnable game against the Miami Dolphins, a game Washington desperately needed.
The Commanders lost in overtime, extending their losing streak to six. That defeat, in one of the NFL’s marquee international games, effectively ended their season.
Newton and Kinlaw have done little to inspire confidence that they can grow into a formidable interior. Washington has little else in the middle. On paper, Payne, who is still just 28 years old, should be in line for a contract extension. Despite his recent issues, he is still the team's best defensive tackle by a wide margin. But that isn't exactly a high bar.
It is very difficult to predict what Peters wants to do about Payne. The arrival of a new defensive coordinator makes it even more confusing, especially with a potential shift in schematics from Daronte Jones to a 3-4 base front.
But it now seems just as likely that Payne — Washington’s second-longest tenured player after Tress Way — will suffer the same fate as Allen unless substantial improvements arrive over the next year.