Dorance Armstrong and 4 Commanders failing to meet expectations at the bye week
By Dean Jones
Daron Payne - Commanders DT
The Washington Commanders needed Daron Payne to step up more than ever after defensive tackle Jonathan Allen was ruled out for the entire campaign with a torn bicep. He's held to a higher standard than most and hasn't met these lofty expectations as yet.
Payne's been solid enough. But the Commanders are paying him like one of the league's best interior defensive linemen. He's not at that level and it's starting to look like his Pro Bowl campaign in 2022 was a one-off in pursuit of a lucrative contract extension.
The Alabama product is an important part of the team's plans. Payne's got the physical attributes to dominant games when in the mood. That's been few and far between over the last two seasons, so it'll be interesting to see how he closes out the campaign.
Nothing but a rousing effort from Payne will do. He's started to be a little more consistent. Washington needs him to be elite to stand any chance of making noise in the postseason.
Clelin Ferrell - Commanders DE
The Commanders needed to find reinforcements at the defensive end position this offseason. Trading Montez Sweat and Chase Young was a calculated risk that seems to be going well so far. However, that did not detract from the need to find pieces capable of generating pressure consistently.
We've already discussed Dorance Armstrong Jr., who was one of very few to get a long-term commitment from the Commanders. General manager Adam Peters also brought Clelin Ferrell from the San Francisco 49ers in free agency to give them another experienced piece with potential upside.
Things haven't gone according to plan for Ferrell. He's spent time on the shelf through injury and doesn't look capable of getting into the backfield frequently enough. This follows his disappointing career trend after being taken No. 4 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Ferrell is getting reps, which should continue down the stretch. Even so, it's hard to envisage a future for the player in Washington beyond the current campaign unless there's a huge surge forward.