When Dan Quinn was asked what he liked about the Washington roster he inherited, he didn’t hesitate to mention the defensive tackle group. While he didn’t name Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, it was clear who he was referring to.
Payne and Allen were phenomenal in 2022, each earning a trip to the Pro Bowl. However, both players had their worst season in 2023. A look up and down Washington’s roster shows multiple players had their worst season one year ago.
General manager Adam Peters, Quinn, and his entire staff have wiped the slate clean, and the players are excited.
This offseason, the Commanders added another talented defensive tackle to the roster: second-round pick Johnny Newton. Once healthy, his presence will allow Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. to rotate Allen and Payne more in 2024, keeping them fresh later in games.
In their series ranking the top 32 players at every position, Pro Football Focus ranked Allen (14) and Payne (32) among its top group.
Here’s what PFF said about Allen:
Allen isn’t coming off his best season, but he still racked up 49 quarterback pressures and 37 defensive stops for the Commanders last year.
At his best, Allen is one of the most formidable pass-rushers in the game. He is just two years removed from a 90.9 PFF pass-rushing grade on the back of 67 pressures and double-digit sacks.
And Payne:
Payne isn’t coming off his best year, but he could be a rejuvenated force in 2024 in Dan Quinn’s defense. He totaled 35 quarterback pressures last season, but that was down from 49 the year before. He has notched at least 40 pressures in back-to-back seasons, having had exactly 39 in each of the two years before that.
The powerhouse of a defensive tackle’s best season may be incoming in a new defensive system.
It sounds like PFF believes big things could be ahead for Allen and Payne in 2024 under a competent coaching staff. Payne’s ranking feels low, especially behind a rookie who has never played an NFL snap, but he can prove last season was a fluke.
Both players are motivated to have a big 2024 season.