NFL franchise tag 2023: 10 players most likely to be tagged

2. Top Franchise Tag Candidates – Washington Commanders DT Daron Payne

The first franchise tag of this season was used by the Commanders, who tagged Payne earlier this week. The move was largely expected as Payne delivered a breakthrough performance in his walk year, racking up 11.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss as he earned a spot in the Pro Bowl.

Washington’s strength is its defensive line, notably in the middle as Payne teams with Jonathan Allen, who the franchise gave a long-term deal to in 2021. It was a bit surprising to see Payne ascend like this after a so-so start to his career but the Commanders decided not to chance seeing what teams desperate for pass rush help would be willing to pay Payne on the open market.

The next step in this process involves negotiating a long-term extension with Payne, who will certainly use Allen’s extension as a baseline for his own demands. There are a lot of defensive tackles in line to get paid this offseason, including Quinnen Williams of the Jets and Dexter Lawrence of the Giants, so Washington would be smart to set the market with Payne instead of letting another team set the price for them.

Time will tell if the two sides can get a deal done but the organization clearly feels that Payne is a tremendous asset to a strong defense. With questions on the other side of the ball, particularly at quarterback, maintaining that defensive strength by tagging Payne was an excellent decision.