Could Daron Payne be Howie Roseman's Offseason Splurge?

The Eagles had one big-ticket splurge last offseason, and that was Haason Reddick.

After that, it was a series of one-year deals for WR Zach Pascal, LB Kyzir White, and CB James Bradberry.

Reddick proved to be worth every penny of the three-year, $45 million contract he signed.

GM Howie Roseman, who will speak at the NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday, said last year at the same event that upgrading the pass rush was a big priority.

He nailed it, adding the necessary ingredients for the defense to pile up 70 sacks in 17 games, the most sacks since the Vikings put up 71 in 1989 and two short of tying the NFL-record held by the 1984 Bears.

Reddick had 16 of those and three others reached double digits, a first in NFL history – Brandon Graham, Javon Hargrave, and Josh Sweat had 11 each.

With the return of Hargrave, Graham and Fletcher Cox (seven sacks) unknown, Roseman could look to the defensive line group again for this year’s offseason splurge.

He may look no further than Daron Payne.

Soon to be 26, the Washington Commanders defensive tackle is four years younger than Hargrave and he, like Hargrave, is coming off the first double-digit sack season of his career.

Payne had 11.5 sacks last season and 20 QB hits to earn his first Pro Bowl nod. His previous high in sacks was five set in his rookie season of 2018, when he was the 13th overall pick out of Alabama.

The catch with Payne is that he is a good candidate for the Commanders’ franchise tag.

However, Washington has edge rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat to consider, with Young’s rookie deal running through 2024 and Sweat about to enter the final season of his deal.

There is also a lot of uncertainty with the likely sale of Commanders at some point over the next few months.

Teams were allowed to begin tagging players on Feb. 21 and the tagging period runs through March 7.

Typically, teams don’t start applying the tags until the deadline gets closer as they try to get a deal done before then.

Teams that utilize a franchise tender have until mid-July to work out a multi-year contract with a player. If an extension isn't agreed to by the deadline, the player will spend the 2023 season under the one-year tag, provided he signs it.

There is a report that the Eagles will tag safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to allow them time to work out a deal, even though the franchise has used the tag just five times, with the most recent coming in 2012 on DeSean Jackson. Twice the tag as rescinded – on Jeremiah Trotter and Corey Simon.

If the Eagles want a deal done with Gardner-Johnson before the potential acrimony over being tagged, which, for Garner-Johnson would be $14.46M, potentially kicks in, the GM may have to make three splurges.

First, the extension for Jalen Hurts.

Second, CGJ.

Third, Payne.

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglestoday.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.