Daron Payne Signs BREAKING: Commanders New Contract; 2nd-Highest-Paid Ever
The Washington Commanders took the first step by placing the franchise tag on defensive tackle Daron Payne … but now, the biggest possible step. …
As the Commanders have signed Payne to a new four-year $90 million contract that features a $60 million signing bonus.
This follows the words from coach Ron Rivera that indicated that this - and more - was on the horizon.
"We obviously gotta take care of our own first, and we want to try and get those guys taken care of first," Rivera said while speaking to local media in Indianapolis last week at the scouting combine. "And then we'll move into free agency with probably (some) fair deals."
As to where that spending might come from, Rivera predictably declined to give specifics but did say the organization knows where they need to address roster deficiencies, and has a clear plan ahead for doing so.
However, there's still time needed for new assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy to get fully versed on his new personnel and help decide the best way to progress with players currently on the roster.
"We're still working through a lot of things...and I know Eric showed a good feel for our personnel, but he hasn't an opportunity to really dive through all those guys either," Rivera said. "We still have some decisions to make going forward but we feel very comfortable where we are right now."
And we can expect the Commanders to also be players in the free agent frenzy to come still, as they look to fill immediate needs to better position themselves to add impactful young talent in April's NFL Draft.
But first things first … and Payne is now “second” - that is to say he is the second-highest paid defensive tackle in NFL history, behind only the LA Rams’ Aaron Donald.
Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82 and on the Locked On Commanders podcast.
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