Tag: Da’Ron Payne

Commanders final injury report for Week 3: Logan Thomas ruled out

Thomas is out, Curl and Samuel are questionable.

The Washington Commanders will be without starting tight end Logan Thomas for their Week 3 game against the Buffalo Bills. Thomas, who suffered a concussion on a touchdown reception late in the second quarter of last week’s win over the Denver Broncos, was ruled out Friday and remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

In some good news for Washington, defensive tackle Daron Payne, who missed Wednesday and was limited on Thursday, was a full participant Friday and will play on Sunday.

Two late additions to the injury report were wide receiver Curtis Samuel and safety Kamren Curl. Head coach Ron Rivera said both were dealing with flu-like symptoms and listed as questionable. However, if the NFL used the old injury designations, they’d be listed as probable.

Here’s the complete injury report for both teams.

The Bills had several players on the injury report this week, but everyone who was limited or missed practice earlier this week was a full participant on Friday. That includes tight end Dawson Knox, linebacker Terrel Bernard, defensive end Leonard Floyd and safety Micah Hyde.

 

Commanders’ Week 3 Thursday injury report: Daron Payne limited

Only Logan Thomas (concussion) missed Thursday’s practice.

As the Washington Commanders prepare for their Week 3 game against the Buffalo Bills, they received some good news Thursday when defensive tackle Daron Payne participated in practice on a limited basis.

Payne missed Wednesday’s practice with an ankle injury. He injured his ankle late in last week’s win over the Broncos. However, shortly after heading to the sideline for trainers to check him out, Payne returned to the game. While we have yet to see how the Commanders classify Payne on Friday’s final injury report, things appear to be trending in the right direction.

Tight end Logan Thomas (concussion) missed practice again. Thomas took a nasty shot in Sunday’s win, and it’s doubtful he’s cleared ahead of Sunday’s game.

In some positive news, rookie defensive back Quan Martin, who missed last week with a concussion, was a full participant on Thursday.

Here’s Washington’s complete injury report:

  • DT Daron Payne: Limited (ankle)
  • TE Logan Thomas: Out (concussion)
  • DB Quan Martin: Full (concussion)
  • C Nick Gates: Full (knee)
  • RB Brian Robinson Jr: Full (hip)
  • WR Curtis Samuel: Full (hip)

Here is Buffalo’s Thursday injury report:

 

Daron Payne, Logan Thomas miss Wednesday’s practice

Both were injured in Sunday’s win over the Broncos.

The Washington Commanders kicked off their preparation for Week 3 Wednesday with a pair of notable names missing practice.

Defensive tackle Daron Payne and tight end Logan Thomas missed Wednesday’s practice with injuries suffered in Sunday’s win over the Denver Broncos. Thomas being out was expected after he suffered a concussion on an illegal hit in the end zone after a touchdown catch. Thomas was ruled out with a concussion and is in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

Payne injured his leg late in the game and was helped off the field. As trainers looked at Payne, he quickly returned to the game, and there was no real update on his status.

Fortunately for the Commanders, it doesn’t appear to be serious, and the team is simply taking a cautious approach with Payne.

Rookie defensive back Quan Martin, who missed last week with a concussion, practiced on a limited basis Wednesday.

Here is Washington’s full Wednesday injury report:

  • TE Logan Thomas: DNP (concussion)
  • DT Daron Payne: DNP (ankle)
  • DB Quan Martin: Limited (concussion)
  • C Nick Gates: Full (knee)
  • RB Brian Robinson Jr.: Full (hip)
  • WR Curtis Samuel: Full (hip)

The Bills had four players miss Wednesday’s practice. Here is a complete list for both teams.

Daron Payne has a message for Commanders’ fans

Payne wants Washington fans to be loud Sunday.

It’s been an amazing year for Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne. Payne entered the 2022 NFL season with uncertainty, as he was playing on his fifth-year option and headed for free agency in 2023.

How did Payne respond? He had a career year with 11.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. Washington applied the franchise tag to Payne, and the two sides quickly agreed to a four-year $90 million deal to keep him in the burgundy and gold.

Payne had an eventful offseason, too, as he had his jersey retired at his high school, and he also made a big donation.

But now, Payne’s focus is completely on the 2023 NFL season. It’s a new era for the Commanders. Josh Harris and his group took over as owners on July 20, and the excitement surrounding the franchise is at a 24-year high.

Fans have responded to the new ownership, as Washington’s season ticket sales are up, as are the luxury suites. The Commanders sold out FedEx Field for their Week 1 game against the Arizona Cardinals.

On Thursday, Payne let fans know what he’d like to see during Sunday’s season opener.

“I just want to hear it on 3rd downs for the defense throughout the game, just make sure we can feel you,” Payne said when asked if he had a message for the fans.

Sunday is shaping up to be a significant day in Washington’s franchise history.

Commanders land 3 players on ESPN’s top 100 players list

Which three Washington players made ESPN’s top 100 players list?

The Washington Commanders may not be a popular choice to make noise in the NFC in 2023, but it’s not because the team lacks talent.

ESPN recently predicted its top 100 players for the 2023 NFL season, and three Commanders made the list.

First on the list was star wide receiver Terry McLaurin at No. 36:

McLaurin established himself as a top-10 receiver in 2022, ranking 10th in receiving yards (1,191) and sixth in yards per catch (15.5). He ranks 13th in receiving yards since entering the NFL in 2019, despite playing with 10 different starting quarterbacks. McLaurin did a lot of his damage in the second half of games last season when Washington needed him most: He was third in the NFL with 737 yards in the second half, and he caught three of his five touchdown passes and 43 of his 77 receptions after halftime.

Signature stat: McLaurin is the first Washington player to record three consecutive seasons with 75 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards.

Next was defensive tackle Jonathan Allen at No. 64:

Signature stat: Allen applied the first pressure on 29 plays as tackle in 2022 — which tied for sixth most in the NFL.

Finally, at No. 70, Allen’s longtime partner in crime, Daron Payne, finally receives the respect he deserves:

Signature stat: Payne had 11.5 sacks last season, twice as many as any other season in his career.

All worthy choices here. Remember, this is a projection for 2023. Defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young and wide receiver Jahan Dotson could all be candidates for these types of lists by the end of the season if they have the type of year many believe they can.

Commanders DT Daron Payne praises Sam Cosmi

Daron Payne talks Sam Cosmi’s move to guard.

The Washington Commanders have high hopes for Sam Cosmi in 2023. Washington selected Cosmi in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft. Cosmi was an immediate starter at right tackle, but injuries impacted his rookie season.

In 2022, Cosmi again began the season at right tackle until another injury cost him three games, allowing veteran Cornelius Lucas to take over at right tackle. When Cosmi returned, he played his old position at right tackle and also played some guard.

Washington liked what it saw from Cosmi and moved him to right guard this offseason. By signing Andrew Wylie in free agency to play right tackle and moving Cosmi to right guard, the Commanders believe they’ve improved two positions.

Perhaps the best people to determine Cosmi’s progress early in his move to a new position are those competing against him daily.

Pro Bowl defensive tackle Daron Payne is accustomed to seeing Cosmi on the outside, so Cosmi moving inside to guard has given Payne some new looks.

“Right now, for me, it is different just seeing Sam Cosmi at right guard,” Payne said when asked how the offensive line was helping prepare him for the season.

“He’s one of those guys that’s pretty quick and agile, so I don’t know. It’s hard to do kind of some of the things that I like to do against him, but I know we all are just gonna make each other better, and we’re just gonna keep pushing each other throughout the whole camp.”

Payne’s words were encouraging. Payne is one of the NFL’s best defensive tackles, coming off a career season, and said Cosmi has presented some challenges for him early this summer.

While Payne didn’t say Cosmi was an All-Pro guard, he offered praise when answering a question. So clearly, he’s impressed with Cosmi.

The 2023 season is a make-or-break one for Cosmi. If he can lock down the right guard position, he could earn an extension next offseason. Otherwise, he’ll be playing in the final season of his rookie contract in 2024.

Cosmi is extremely athletic for his size and has proven to be a valuable run blocker. Washington hopes moving him inside will help him in pass protection.

Commanders’ training camp: Takeaways and observations from Day 2

Day 2 of training camp is in the books. Some thoughts and observations from the day.

The Washington Commanders were back on the practice fields in Ashburn for Day 2 of training camp. Owner Josh Harris and minority partners Mitchell Rales and Mark Ein joined Harris. Harris received a celebratory welcome, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans.

As for what happened on the field, Washington ramped things up a bit on Thursday. It was another strong day of work for quarterback Sam Howell, who continues to look comfortable in offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s offense, at least early.

Here are our takeaways and observations from Day of training camp.

Ranking Commanders 25 most important players for 2023: No. 3

Jonathan Allen is critical to Washington’s success.

As we look toward the 2023 regular season, we count down the most important players for the Washington Commanders ahead of training camp. On Tuesday, No. 4 was defensive end Daron Payne.

We continue our countdown today with No. 3, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.

Four defensive linemen among Washington’s six most important players? That tells you everything you need to know about how great the defensive line is. And it begins with Allen.

The seventh-year pro is coming off back-to-back Pro Bowls and seemingly only getting better. Allen is equally as dominant against the run as he is at collapsing the pocket. Allen battles double teams on every play and still consistently makes plays.

Allen doesn’t miss a lot of time. While the Commanders love their young backups [John Ridgeway and Phidarian Mathis], they don’t want to be without Allen for any period of time. While Daron Payne is phenomenal — and only getting better — Allen is the key. Allen’s impact on the field is tremendous, and he is also one of the team leaders.

For some reason, Allen doesn’t receive enough credit for his greatness. However, analytics tell the story of Allen’s dominance. As does the eye test. There’s nothing flashy about Allen’s game, but he shows up on every play and wins.

The Commanders can’t be without Allen for any period of time.

Ranking Commanders 25 most important players for 2023: No. 4

Daron Payne ready to build off a breakthrough 2022 season.

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As we look toward the 2023 regular season, we count down the most important players for the Washington Commanders ahead of training camp. On Monday, No. 5 was defensive end Montez Sweat.

We continue our countdown today with No. 4, defensive tackle Daron Payne.

Did you think one year ago we’d be here, on the eve of training camp, talking about Daron Payne’s impact on the Commanders for 2024? Almost no one did, as Washington wasn’t even exploring a potential contract extension in 2022.

How did Payne respond?

By playing in every game for the fourth time in his five NFL seasons and establishing new career highs in tackles [64], tackles for loss [18] and sacks [11.5]. That led to Payne earning his first Pro Bowl bid and the Commanders applying the franchise tag.

Instead of allowing Payne to play on the tag, Washington got a deal done just before free agency opened, signing Payne to a four-year, $90 million deal that was the second-largest ever at the time for a defensive tackle. The Commanders were ecstatic, Payne was even happier.

With Payne under a new deal, that means the Commanders have Jonathan Allen, Payne, Phidarian Mathis and John Ridgeway under contract for at least the next three seasons. That’s an impressive group.

At 26, there’s reason to believe Payne just scratched the surface last season. Washington believes that to be the case. Payne was downright unblockable at times last season, and the Commanders finally had the duo [Allen and Payne] they envisioned when picking them in the first round in back-to-back drafts.

Washington has high hopes for defensive ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat in 2023. However, the Commanders know it all starts on the interior with Payne and Allen.

When Washington was its best last season, Payne was dominating the opposition. If Payne builds off of last season, the Commanders will be even better defensively in 2023.

Daron Payne makes big donation to his high school athletic program

Payne had his jersey retired and also spoke on the new era in Washington.

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Since Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne signed a four-year, $90 million extension in March, he’s been giving back. We know of Payne’s generosity with his family, particularly his mother, but the star defender recently went home to his old high school.

Payne played high school at Shades Valley High in Irondale, Alabama. Multiple professional athletes played for the Shades Valley Mounties, but perhaps none more successful than Payne. So just before Payne was scheduled to report to Washington’s training camp this week, his alma mater had him back for a special moment.

The Mounties were retiring Payne’s No. 94. These types of festitivies often happen during football season, but Payne will be occupied in the fall for foreseeable future.

In turn, Payne wanted to give back to his high school. Payne donated $100K to Shades Valley’s athletic department.

Payne spoke after the ceremony, looking back fondly to his time at Shades Valley.

As far as professional news, the Commanders were officially sold from Dan Snyder to a group led by Josh Harris for a record $6.05 billion. Payne was asked if this meant there was a new era of Washington football.

“I hope so,” Payne said via Nick Alvarez of AL.com. “I hope we got a bunch of winning coming ahead. We got some good dudes coming in. I hope they come in with some great changes. I know we got a lot of good players this year and I feel like we got a good squad, I’m excited,” Payne said.

The Commanders open training camp Wednesday in Ashburn.