The Washington Commanders staved off speculation that a 0-3 start would have raised questions about whether they were headed toward a total rebuild in 2027 by upsetting the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3.
It hasn’t staved off speculation that some Commanders might be dealt by the November 10 NFL trade deadline, with ESPN’s Dan Graziano putting Pro Bowl defensive tackle Daron Payne at the top of his list of possible NFL trade candidates.
Payne is on track to become an unrestricted free agent after the season after playing out his 4-year, $90 million contract. In all likelihood, he’ll find a robust market waiting for him — think something like a 2-year, $40 million contract.
“If the Commanders aren’t in the NFC East race by midseason, their 2018 first-round pick could be of interest to teams looking to fill holes along their defensive lines. If the Commanders aren’t tumbling out of contention by November, they could also be the type of team that’s looking to trade a veteran player for another, potentially dealing a guy who isn’t part of their future for a player they believe could be. Or maybe they could look to strengthen a different position. There are a lot of ways the season can still go in Washington, but it might need to stay active in order to keep its playoff hopes alive.”
The Commanders are 1-2 headed into Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts in London.
Better Option for Commanders: Trade for Picks
If the Commanders do end up trading Payne, it would almost certainly be to a contender who needs help on the interior defensive line — teams like the San Francisco 49ers or Baltimore Ravens.
The Commanders trading Payne also means the season went sideways, so the smart move would be to sweat said team for a Day 2 draft pick — start with the ask of a 2nd-round pick to gauge exactly how desperate the teams are and be willing to go down to either a 3rd-round pick or a package of multiple Day 3 picks.
Commanders Might Want to Run it Back With Payne
The Commanders have made several big mistakes at defensive tackle in the last few years — they might not want to make another 1 by getting rid of Payne.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox singled out Payne as Washington’s “Most Important Free Agent” in next year’s cycle.
“Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne entered the 2026 offseason as a logical trade candidate because of his hefty contract,” Knox wrote on September 12. “Moving him now could still save Washington $17.4 million in cap space. With Payne on the roster entering Week 1, however, extending him might make a lot more sense. Top-tier defensive tackles remain one of the rarest commodities in the modern NFL. While Payne isn’t an elite interior defender, he’s been an above-average starter throughout his eight-year career. This past season, Payne tallied 46 tackles, three sacks, and seven tackles for loss in 15 starts. He’s still only 29 years old and could be a defensive building block for the Commanders for several more seasons.”
Commanders Pro Bowler Called NFL’s Top Trade Candidate