Commanders DE Montez Sweat Salutes Daron Payne on New Contract
Washington Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat has been passed the baton as the latest defensive lineman to play on the final year of his contract.
Last year, it was Daron Payne holding the baton, and he did a lot with it. Payne had the best season of his career with 11.5 sacks and his first trip to the Pro Bowl.
While he was first placed on the franchise tag, the Commanders swiftly signed him to a four-year, $90 million extension, keeping him in Washington until the end of the 2026 season. Now, Sweat hopes he can have a similar impact and result this season.
“Oh yeah, for sure, he definitely laid the blueprint on how to get your bag,” Sweat said. “So, I mean, salute to him.”
The same could possibly be said for fellow defensive end Chase Young, who had his fifth-year option declined earlier this offseason. Young, the No. 2 pick in 2020, along with Sweat, face free agency at season's end.
It likely will be a season-long competition between the two former first-round picks as to who will receive the long-term extension at the end of the year. If either of them can reach Payne's 2022 bar, it will be very hard for Washington not to bring them back to the nation's capital.
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