Commanders DL Daron Payne Focused On 2026 Ahead of Contract Season

With the third week of OTAs here, the Washington Commanders are looking to put the injury-riddled 2025 season behind them after finishing with a 5-12 record. One player who is ready to put the pads back on and get back on the field is defensive lineman Daron Payne heading into a pivotal season.

Payne has been with the Commanders since 2018 and has grown into one of the best defensive linemen in all of football. This year will bring new challenges for the Pro Bowler as he transitions from lining up over the center at nose tackle to defensive tackle. The move hasn’t stopped him from focusing on where his goals are at this point in the offseason. 

“Taking it one day at a time and trying to find out how to be a good defense,” said Payne during the press conference on Tuesday.

2025 saw a Washington defense destroyed by injuries and uneven play. To help change that in 2026, the team brought in many new faces to the unit, including an entirely different starting unit at linebacker. Payne sees the impact these new faces could bring to a defense that finished dead last in yards allowed last year.

“Just from the little time I spent with them, I could tell (the coaches) brought in a bunch of competitors,” Payne told reporters. “The guys I work with on the [defensive] line and outside linebacker love to compete.”

Yet there is one slight difference for Payne this season: he's in a contract season. It isn't unfamiliar territory for the former first round pick after inking a four year, $90 million deal after tallying 11.5 sacks and 64 total tackles in 2022, both marking new career highs. The production since then has been limited with Payne totaling just 11 sacks over the last three seasons, putting a question mark on his updated future with the organization.

Payne, however, noted there are no discussions between the two sides heading into the 2026 season.

“That’s not really my job. That’s for the coaches. My job is to just be one of the 11 that go out there and do what I’m supposed to do. Just execute the scheme and just play as hard as I can,” said Payne.

One thing he did note was the increase in speed along the defense as a whole.

“We definitely got some fast guys. We got some fast guys all over the place,” said Payne.

While the Commanders did bring in some new talent, it came at the cost of losing some impact players over the last few years. This included linebacker Bobby Wagner and cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Lattimore was released in March, while Wagner was not re-signed during free agency. Even with faces coming and going, Payne isn’t worried about the past, only the present.

“It’s cool to see guys go to different teams and see them in different uniforms. But I’m focused on the Commanders and how I can make the Commanders better,” said Payne.

One more thing of note with Payne is that he is in the final year of his contract. As of right now, it seems he and the team are willing to just let this season play out.

“I’m just playing football. I’m hopeful for that and hopeful for my next day and do what I love,” Payne said when asked about his contract.

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