Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen are under increased scrutiny.
The former Alabama defensive tackle duo Allen (2017) and Payne (2018) were both drafted in the first round by Washington. Both have extensive NFL experience; Allen is 29, and Payne is 27.
Both are also paid well, like first-round draft choices they were—their stat lines for 2024 after two games do raise eyebrows. Allen has contributed two solo tackles, two assisted tackles, as well as two QB hits, with no QB sacks. Payne has one solo tackle and has yet to record anything else: no assists, TFL, no QB sacks, no QB hits.
In Payne’s defense, both of Clelin Ferrell’s sacks resulted from Payne being the first to put pressure on the quarterback, moving him to where Ferrell then stepped in and got the quarterback sack.
Craig Hoffman of The Team 980 had some strong declarations to make regarding Payne’s play.
“Eventually, you have got to give production. Yeah, he ate some blocks, got some penetration on Clelin Ferrell’s sack. He’s the main instigator there, pushing the pocket. One of his two hurries that PFF credited him with.
“But at the end of the day, you are paying these dudes major money to produce. You need stat sheet stats from them. You need tackles, sacks.”
“You need Daron Payne to be the Daron Payne, not that he was necessarily against Denver last year for that one series where he entirely wrecked it. That is unsustainable for a game.”
“But can we get some flashes of that dude a couple of times a game? Maybe it is what they are asked to do in this defense. Which is why I am not willing to fully say, “Bad job, Allen, bad job, Payne.”
“Ultimately, the thing I am willing to say at this point is that this defense needs to get to a point where they are producing more.”