He’s been touted as a trade candidate and slighted in offseason rankings, but Pro Bowl defensive tackle Daron Payne actually has good reason to expect “another payday,” thanks to a key change the Washington Commanders are making under first-year defensive coordinator Daronte Jones.
Payne got his bag when the Commanders handed him a contract worth $90 million in 2023, but he’s rarely justified the deal since. Motivation could be a factor, with Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic pointing out how “Coincidence or not, Payne has a track record of elevating his play in contract seasons, and adapting to Daronte Jones’ scheme could land him another payday — in Washington or elsewhere.”
Payne getting paid again would require a breakout season, something Jhabvala believes Jones can help make happen with a “system that features more position-agnostic players.”
Not being tethered to playing over the ball is an exciting prospect for Payne, a talented disruptor who’s underachieved in recent years. Moving Payne around not only fits with what head coach Dan Quinn wants to see, it also draws comparison to how one of the greatest interior defensive linemen in NFL history took his game to another level.
Daron Payne Can Follow All-Time Great’s Blueprint in New Defense
Getting Payne to replicate the 11.5-sack 2022 campaign that earned him his current bumper pay packet has proved elusive for the Commanders. It’s why his name remains a feature of trade speculation.
Fortunately, Jones’ arrival should change the narrative for the better because his creative, pressure-first schemes are ideal for helping Payne thrive. Jones wants a front seven loaded with actors able to deceive offenses about their pre-snap alignments and post-snap intentions.
The moving parts philosophy will put Payne into positions to make more plays. That’s what Quinn wants, with Jhabvala referencing a quote the coach originally made at the Scouting Combine back in February.
Quinn told reporters, “What’s so much fun about coaching Daron is he’s big enough to be a 3-4 end — you guys saw some of that here early on — and he’s got the strength that can play inside at nose tackle and quickness to move. … Because (the defensive tackles) are versatile, it gives Daronte even more options in how to deploy and how to match up guys. So, it’s a big deal for us.”
A good way to think of what Payne’s role might look like under Jones is to remember how Bill Belichick used Vince Wilfork during the second half of the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl-laden dynasty.
GettyPayne and the Commanders can follow the plan that made former New England Patriots’ NT Wilfork one of the all-time greats.
Wilfork went from being a classic nose tackle to somebody the Pats would move to wherever he could do the most damage. Payne isn’t Wilfork, but Jones’ similar usage plan has benefits.
It’s about more than just moving Payne to target weak blockers. Jones can also redirect big No. 90 to attack tendencies. If a team likes to run off tackle, Payne can slide out to end to put a stop to those plays.
When the Commanders face a pocket-passer, Payne can be shifted into the A-gap between center and guard and allowed to rush downhill against a static target. The possibilities are numerous, but Payne needs to respond with the necessary production.
If he can, Washington’s defensive tackles will surprise the critics by quickly becoming the strength of Jones’ new-look unit.
Commanders Set to Be Stronger Than Expected at Defensive Tackle
There isn’t much respect for Payne and fellow starter Javon Kinlaw, compared to the league’s top-tier D-tackles, but there are good reasons to believe the Commanders will be stronger than expected at the position.
Perhaps the most compelling of those reasons is the quality of the rotation. Jones’ move plan for Payne can work because the Commanders reunited with natural nose tackle Tim Settle Jr. during 2026 NFL free agency.
GettyReuniting with Settle gives Payne more license to move across the front.
Settle is a rugged and functional run-stopper playing over centers, while the Commanders also have more dynamic depth in the form of Jer’Zhan ‘Johnny’ Newton. Like Payne, Newton has rarely lived up to his full potential, but the second-round pick in the 2024 draft did show signs of life during a mini breakout late last season.
Newton has the exact versatility and pass-rushing traits Jones needs to make his elaborate plans work. Getting Newton more involved, combined with keeping Payne on the move, should produce more than one breakout player on Washington’s defensive front.
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