If the Washington Commanders wanted a good idea about what they can expect for defensive tackle Daron Payne before the 2026 NFL trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10, they just got it from a deal involving one of the league’s best interior disruptors.
The Indianapolis Colts sent three-time Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner back to former team the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday, October 27, in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NFL draft.
That deal, reported by The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero, has potential implications for the Commanders and Payne. Those implications were explained by Last Man Stadig writer and host Ben Standig, who pointed out, “If, IF the Commanders become sellers at the trade deadline, this Buckner deal may help shape the market for Daron Payne. Both are 2027 free agents DTs.”
Buckner’s deal giving the Commanders a range for Payne’s likely trade compensation is both positive and negative. General manager Adam Peters might expect more than a mid-round pick for a Pro Bowler who’s still the right side of 30 and playing better than many of his detractors would like to admit.
Yet, there’s no hiding from the reality Buckner is a more productive pro defensive lineman than Payne. The 32-year-old All-Pro also carries a smaller cap hit for this year, $6.5 million, compared to the $8.46 million attached to Payne’s bloated contract, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic.
A fourth-round pick looks like the sweet spot for any potential buyers. Some connected to the Commanders may not like it, but Peters must be realistic about the market for a player who remains a popular name in trade scenarios.
Timing’s key when the Commanders face a longer wait for the return of another key player along their defensive front.
Daron Payne Trade Market Remains Tricky
Navigating the potential trade market for Payne won’t be easy for Peters. Not when big No. 94 is still filling a useful role up front.
Payne’s “tied for the team lead with 17 pressures through six weeks and has defended the run pretty well this season,” according to Popper. While the strength of Payne’s run defense is debatable, the 29-year-old is putting heat on the pocket.
The 2018 first-found pick “led the team with a pressure rate of 21.1% on 19 pass rush snaps” against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, per The Washington Post’s Tashan Reed.
A team with more realistic playoff aspirations than the 1-4-1 Commanders might happily trade to acquire Payne’s enduring ability to generate pressure. That’s despite his expensive contract that carries a gaudy cap hit for this year, but there’s a silver lining for interested parties.
As Nishant Gupta of Athlon Sports explained, “Payne carries a $28.01 million cap hit this year, according to Spotrac, but a buyer would owe only the prorated remainder of his $16.4 million base salary. That’s a rental, and contenders pay for rentals on the defensive line.”
AFC South leaders the Jacksonville Jaguars are a contender who may be interested in paying up for Payne. The latter is the Jags’ “realistic” option for defensive tackle help, according to JP Acosta of CBS Sports.
Peters might consider a mid-round pick from the Jags, but Washington head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones could have some concerns. Those concerns involve the health of the Commanders’ depth chart at Payne’s position.
Commanders Not Healthy at Defensive Tackle
Payne still has value to the Commanders. Especially when they remain without his fellow starter.
That’s the state of play after Commanders.com Senior Writer Zach Selby reported “Javon Kinlaw, however, has not improved the way the team hoped, so his recovery will take a bit longer.”
Kinlaw’s absence stresses what’s generally been a stout run front for the Commanders this season. Jones calls a scheme based on elaborate blitz pressures, so he needs a line that can stop the run early and force offenses into obvious passing situations.
The plan relies on putting big bodies in the trenches, and the Commanders are already short of those. They have former second-round pick Jer’Zhan ‘Jonnny’ Newton on injured reserve after potentially season-ending surgery to repair a torn pec. Veteran nose tackle Tim Settle Jr. is still a force over the ball, but Shy Tuttle’s solid at best.
Jones’ defense also lacks another D-tackle who can push the pocket as well as Payne. Ends Charles Omenihu and Deatrich Wise Jr. can slide inside, but neither’s going to split a double team.
If Kinlaw was 100 percent, Payne may well be on the move already, but the unsettled picture along the interior should make the Commanders think carefully about when and if they’ll sanction a trade.
Particularly when any deal is only likely to yield a modest return.
Commanders Get Daron Payne Update After 3x Pro Bowler Trade