The Washington Commanders’ offseason overhaul could include a tough but increasingly realistic decision: cutting ties with one of the franchise’s highest-paid veterans.
According to Pro Football Focus, longtime defensive tackle Daron Payne is emerging as a legitimate trade candidate ahead of the 2026 season. PFF recently listed Payne among its Top 15 NFL Trade Candidates, signaling that Washington may be ready to move on from a once-dominant interior presence.
Payne earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2022 after posting a career-best 11.5 sacks, which helped him secure a four-year, $90 million extension before the 2023 season. Since signing that deal, however, the production has fallen off sharply. Over the past three seasons combined, Payne has totaled just 11.0 sacks, failing to replicate his breakout form.
With Washington coming off a 5–12 campaign and fielding one of the league’s worst defenses, patience is wearing thin.
“The Commanders are a team under heightened pressure in 2026,” PFF’s Bradley Locker wrote. “Washington must improve its defense after ranking 31st in EPA per play allowed, which might include trading Payne up front.”
Locker noted that Payne has posted three straight seasons with PFF grades below 61.5, a concerning trend for a player carrying elite-level money. Now 28 years old and entering the final year of his contract, Payne no longer appears to match the value of his deal, making him a prime payroll casualty.
A Turbulent 2025 Season
Payne’s most memorable moment in 2025 didn’t come from his play on the field—but from a costly suspension.
In Week 10 against the Detroit Lions, Payne was ejected and later suspended one game after punching star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown following a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. The incident forced Payne to miss Washington’s Week 11 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Madrid, Spain.
The altercation wasn’t an isolated event. Back in December 2021, Payne was involved in a highly publicized sideline fight with teammate Jonathan Allen during a humiliating 56–14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. That Commanders team finished the season 3–14.
“I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist,” Allen told ESPN’s John Keim at the time. “If you look at how that game went, emotions are high.”
Payne later downplayed the incident, calling it a “little brotherly disagreement,” but the pattern of on-field frustration has lingered alongside his declining production.
Trade or Cut? Washington’s Options
If a trade market develops, even a fourth-round pick could be considered a win for Washington given Payne’s contract and recent performance. But if no suitors emerge, a more drastic move may be on the table.
The Athletic’s Ben Standig believes the Commanders could simply cut Payne to gain salary-cap flexibility.
“Even if there’s a role or usage excuse following last year’s coaching staff change, the hulking 320-pounder rarely made a distinct presence in games compared to those 2022 highs,” Standig wrote.
Moving on from Payne would open snaps for younger players and help reshape a defensive line that hasn’t lived up to expectations. Washington already has alternatives in place, including veteran Javon Kinlaw, who signed a three-year, $45 million deal in March 2025, and Jer’Zhan Newton, the team’s second-round pick in the 2024 draft.
Whether via trade or outright release, all signs point toward a changing of the guard up front. For a Commanders team desperate to raise its defensive ceiling, the Daron Payne era may be nearing its end.
