Could this be Washington defensive tackle Daron Payne’s best year yet? It’s early, but there is a lot of positive talk surrounding the Commanders‘ veteran defensive tackle.
On Wednesday, defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. was effusive in his praise for the eight-year veteran.
“The guy that, to me, he just looks really good, he looks intentful, Daron Payne, man, like every day this dude is, I’m having to tell him, ‘Hey man, let’s calm down,'” Whitt said when asked which players looked different this offseason.
“Like, I got in trouble with the head coach yesterday because I challenged that d-line, and he went after it. And I said, ‘Q [Head Coach Dan Quinn], that was my fault. I told him to, he did exactly what I told him to do.’ And so, I’ve been really pleased with the walkthroughs, everything that we’ve asked him to do. And he’s a leader, he doesn’t talk much at all, alright. But he is leading by example, and this year you can really see him taking that leadership role and taking it to the next step. So, I would say he’s been the guy that’s just really stood out to me the most from that standpoint.”
Quinn agreed with Whitt.
“You know, it’s funny that you brought him up, but I walked past him today,” Quinn said on Wednesday. “I said, man, you’ve had a remarkable offseason. I felt that way through the drill work, through the skill, and everyone you just see something that jumps out differently, that’s into a new space.
The Commanders need Payne to have a big season. Payne’s best season came in 2022, when he recorded a career-high 11.5 sacks. Payne also recorded career highs in tackles (64), tackles for loss (18) and quarterback hits (20). That was Payne’s contract year. In the last two years, Payne has combined to record eight sacks, 18 tackles for loss and 18 QB hits — in 34 games.
Stats don’t always tell the complete story for interior defenders. Payne faces double teams and sometimes does the dirty work. However, in addition to making fewer plays, the Commanders as a unit have been weak against the run with Payne in the middle. That’s obviously not all on Payne.
Payne has been with Washington since 2018, is still only 28, and has started in every game in each of the last five seasons.
If the Commanders get a big year from Payne, it would go a long way in improving one of the league’s worst run defenses.