Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne got paid. Payne signed a four-year, $90 million extension on Tuesday. The deal includes $60 million in guarantees. Payne is now the second-highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL History. However, there was a time Payne’s future in Washington was in doubt.
Last season, Payne entered OTAs without a contract extension. Instead, he played the 2022 season with an $8.5 million fifth-year option. Frustrated with a lack of an extension, Payne opted not to participate in team drills. However, he did individual workouts and sat in team meetings and did not have a holdout.
That’s a decision Payne chose on his own. Speaking with the media after signing his new massive extension, Payne explained his agent, Joel Segal, may have preferred him to “go a different route” during OTAs.
“But he let me do things how I wanted to do it, and I wanted to be here for the team, and I wanted to be around the guys and do all the stuff with the team,” Payne said, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.
Payne’s choice kept his relationship with the Commanders cordial. Ultimately, he went on to have his best season as a pro. He recorded a career-high 11.5 sacks that led the team. He also had a career-best 64 tackles and 18 tackles for a loss with 20 quarterback hits.
Payne expressed last season was the most fun he had playing football. The Commanders rewarded him for his performance and professionalism in handling his contract situation.
Washington placed the franchise tag on Payne last month but clarified they wanted to work toward a long-term deal.
“I’m just happy they were able to get it done because it’s like they draft guys, they watch them come up as players, and then they reward them,” Payne added, per Jhabvala.
In 2021, the Commanders gave fellow defensive tackle Jonathan Allen a four-year, $72 million extension. Last offseason, Washington signed wide receiver Terry McLaurin to a three-year, $68.364 million extension. Daron Payne waited his turn and earned his extension this go around. As a result, the Commanders set their foundation for the future.
