The Washington Commanders have made a significant investment at the defensive tackle position. In 2021, the Commanders re-signed Jonathan Allen to a four-year, $72 million extension. Since signing that deal, Allen has only gotten better, earning back-to-back trips to the Pro Bowl.
This offseason, the Commanders signed Daron Payne to a four-year, $90 million extension after his breakout season in 2022. Washington had planned to let Payne walk in free agency last offseason. The fifth-year defensive tackle busted out in a major way, recording 11.5 sacks — tying Dave Butz’s franchise record for a defensive tackle — and finishing in the top five in tackles for loss.
So it’s no surprise that Washington’s defensive tackle duo is the envy of the NFL. Behind Allen and Payne, the Commanders have two promising second-year players, Phidarian Mathis and John Ridgeway.
Pro Football Focus recently ranked the NFL’s top 32 interior defenders, and Washington’s duo each made the top 16, with Allen coming in at No. 7 and Payne at No. 16.
On Allen:
Allen has achieved strong PFF pass-rush grades in each of the past three seasons. While not dominant in run defense, he earned a 66.5 PFF grade in 2022 against the run, which was the best of his career. With 47 total pressures, including eight sacks and nine hits, on 482 pass-rushing snaps, he was a pass-rushing force once again in 2022.
And Payne:
Payne’s PFF grades haven’t quite matched his hype. But while we’ve yet to see a season in which he has been good both against the run and as a pass rusher, he has shown enough that it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see him have a career year in 2023. He has registered 96 total pressures from 1,047 pass-rushing snaps over the past two seasons.
Payne feels a bit low on this list. Did PFF actually watch him play last season? Payne could improve as a run defender in 2023, which would should put him among the top seven, considering he was so dominant as a pass rusher.
Regardless of these rankings, the Commanders have elite interior defenders.
