Daron Payne, #94 of the Washington Commanders, takes the field before the game Philadelphia Eagles at FedExField on Sept. 25, 2022 in Landover, Maryland. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
The Commanders tweeted a very happy-looking emoji as word of the deal started to circulate in the NFL world.
Payne had his best season with Washington yet in 2022. In 17 games, he had 11.5 sacks and 64 combined tackles. Both marks were career-highs. He also set a personal best for QB hits with 20 and passes defended with five.
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Daron Payne, #94 of the Washington Commanders, stands during the national anthem against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on Nov. 20, 2022 in Houston. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
He has played in every game since the 2020 season.
Washington selected Payne in the first round of the 2018 draft with the 13th pick. The Commanders’ defense was third in yards allowed and seventh in points allowed in 2022.
Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne, #94, plays defense during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith, File)
The Commanders now have Payne and Jonathan Allen locked up on multiyear contracts while a decision on what to do with Chase Young looms next. Washington has to decide whether to pick up his fifth-year option. Young suffered a torn ACL in 2021 and missed a lot of the 2022 season recovering.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.