Two days before hosting the Philadelphia Eagles in a pivotal primetime matchup, the Washington Commanders lost another starter to injury. Defensive tackle Daron Payne suffered a “significant” foot injury during practice Friday and will be out for the foreseeable future, a team source tells The Athletic.
The Commanders, who initially listed Payne as questionable for Sunday night’s game, ruled him out Friday night after additional testing was done on his foot.
Payne is now likely headed to injured reserve, the team source said on condition of anonymity because the severity of the injury has not been made public, adding to Washington’s season-long toll. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who signed a two-year, $60.2 million contract extension in the offseason, tore a triceps during training camp in early August. He’s on injured reserve, alongside veteran receiver Terry McLaurin, who tore a patellar tendon during the Commanders’ loss to the San Francisco 49ers, and running back Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt, who is dealing with a groin injury.
If Payne misses the rest of the season, it’s possible he played his last down as a Commander. The 2018 first-round pick is in the final year of his contract and was speculated to be a potential trade candidate ahead of the NFL’s Nov. 10 trade deadline.
Commanders’ season, Dan Quinn’s job at stake vs. Eagles
Nicki Jhabvala
The Commanders’ playoff hopes have dwindled but not completely disappeared thanks to the disarray of the NFC East, but Washington’s path is challenging, and the 29-year-old Payne — playing a premium position — would garner interest on the trade market and give Washington (1-4-1) the chance to recoup additional draft picks.
Payne signed a four-year, $90 million contract in 2023 after recording a career-high 11.5 sacks the previous season. He hasn’t topped five sacks in any of the years since — he had one this season before his injury — but has been one of their top run defenders up front.
The injury, however, likely ends any discussion of a possible trade and instead puts Payne on track to become a free agent in March.
For the Commanders, the loss is especially brutal because of their circumstances. The team also ruled out fellow starting defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw with a knee injury, leaving the interior of its line especially thin, just in time to face Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.
Johnny Newton, a 2024 second-round pick, tore a pectoral muscle during camp and has been on IR since, but he was designated for return earlier this week, giving him at least a chance to be activated before Sunday (he was listed as questionable).
Washington could use the help as it tries to bounce back against the Eagles (2-5), another NFC East team reeling from injuries. A win would keep Washington’s playoff hopes alive — slim as they might be.
A loss would make a postseason run really difficult, though, and could prompt Washington to move on from coach Dan Quinn.
Since going 12-5 and reaching the NFC Championship Game in his first season as head coach, Quinn’s team has won only six of its last 23 games while generating a string of headlines for in-game blunders.
Injuries to key players factored into the team’s early struggles, but recent losses were the result of self-inflicted mistakes — clock-management gaffes, penalties, defensive lapses and so on.
The loss of Payne could be just as costly.
