Report: Commanders likely to place franchise tag on Payne

The Washington Commanders are expected to place the franchise tag on defensive tackle Daron Payne, sources told The Athletic's Ben Standig.

Payne, 25, is coming off a career-best campaign where he recorded 64 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks.

The franchise tender for defensive tackles is worth $18.9 million, according to OvertheCap.

The franchise-tag window opened Tuesday and will close March 7. If a pending free agent is not tagged, they'll be free to sign with any team at the start of free agency on March 15.

Payne completed the final year of his rookie contract in 2022 and is set to become an unrestricted free agent. If the Commanders tag the star defender, the two sides will have until July 15 to negotiate a long-term deal.

The Alabama product provided consistency to the Commanders' defense. He's tallied 291 tackles, 55 quarterback hits, and 26 sacks since being drafted 13th overall in 2018.

Washington has assembled one of the league's most disruptive defensive lines, with Jonathan Allen, Chase Young, and Montez Sweat also in the fold. The Commanders will have to decide whether they want to pick up the fifth-year option in Young's contract later this offseason.