Commanders Could Fetch Day 2 Pick For DT Daron Payne In Trade?

According to Ben Standig, a source with knowledge of trade negotiations says the Commanders could potentially get a 2023 second or third-round pick by trading DT Daron Payne. 

Payne has been the subject of trade calls in the past several months, but so far Washington has rebuffed interest in the former first-rounder. That could change now that the team is 2-4. 

Payne is entering the final year of his rookie deal in Washington and it does not seem likely he will be re-signed given the team’s other investments on the defensive line. 

The Commanders gave fellow DT Jonathan Allen a deal worth $18 million a year last summer and have to think about deals on the horizon for DEs Montez Sweat and Chase Young. 

Washington could get a relatively high compensatory pick if Payne signs a lucrative deal in free agency but if a Day 2 pick is on the table in a trade, the team will have to think hard about parting with him earlier. 

Payne is playing out the 2022 season in a contract year on his fifth-year option worth $8.53 million. 

Payne, 25, is the former 13th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Alabama. He signed a four-year $14.418 million dollar rookie contract with the Washington Football Team that included an $8.566 million dollar signing bonus.

Washington exercised his fifth-year option for the 2022 season which is worth $8.53 million. 

In 2022, Payne has appeared in six games for the Commanders and recorded 21 total tackles, fivew tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one safety and three pass deflections. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 60 interior defender out of 117 qualifying players. 

We’ll have more on the Commanders and Payne as the news is available.