Pros and Cons of Lions Signing DT Daron Payne

Read more on the pros and cons of the Detroit Lions signing defensive tackle Daron Payne this offseason.

The Detroit Lions must improve their defense if they want to compete for a playoff spot in 2023.

Despite a strong finish to the 2022 season, the Lions ranked near the bottom of the league in several defensive categories. Among them were scoring defense (28th), total yards per game (32nd), rushing yards per game (29th) and passing yards per game (30th).

One way to improve the unit would be to add depth on the defensive line. Isaiah Buggs was a fine addition through free agency and Alim McNeill had a second solid season, but the rest of the interior lacks depth.

Daron Payne is among the impending free agents heading into the 2023 offseason. The defensive tackle just wrapped up his fifth season with the Washington Commanders, which was a career-best campaign.

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The Alabama product posted a career-best 11 sacks in 2022, and was credited with a career-high in pressures as well by Pro Football Focus. Both numbers would’ve ranked highly on the Lions. His sack total would've finished first, and his number of pressures would've finished second behind Aidan Hutchinson’s 53.

He was productive against the run as well last season, notching 18 tackles for loss. That amount was tied for fifth-most in the league and third among NFC defenders.

In terms of scheme, the Lions have a need for an extra tackle after switching to a four-down front in 2022. The Commanders deployed a similar scheme, using Payne and Jonathan Allen on the interior.

Adding a sound defender to the first level of the defense could do wonders for Detroit’s run defense. Payne has posted a PFF run- defense grade of above 70 twice in his career, a sign of his consistency.

That number did dip in 2022, as he finished with a career-low 43.5 grade against the run. His numbers in pass-rush situations were better, though, as his grade in that department was a 72.0.

He’s also durable, having played at least 15 games in each of his five NFL seasons. Payne has played all 17 games in each of the last two seasons, too. 

Payne will enter his age-26 season next year, which fits the young mold that Lions general manager Brad Holmes has established. The Lions boasted one of the league’s youngest rosters in 2022, with Michael Brockers serving as the team’s oldest player at 32 years old. He was the only player on the roster who was older than 29.

While Payne's an appealing player, there is a concern with what he could command in free agency. Spotrac has his projected market value listed at $19.4 million. That contract would make him the second-highest paid player on the Lions, behind only quarterback Jared Goff.

With the salary cap set at $224.8 million per team, the Lions are expected to have around $16.2 million in available cap space. Based on Spotrac’s projections, that alone would not be enough to land Washington’s top defensive tackle.

The promising tackle is also not a guarantee to hit free agency, as the Commanders could use the franchise tag on him. According to reports Monday, the tag for defensive tackles is set to cost $18.9 million.

If the Lions want to contend at a high level, spending on free agents is necessary. Payne would be a clear upgrade, though Buggs and McNeill were solid in 2022.

Should the Commanders elect to pass on tagging Payne, Holmes and company should do their due diligence. More than anything, Holmes has emphasized the importance of finding free agents who fit the team’s culture.

The Lions need help at each area of their defense. As a result, there will be intriguing decisions to make all throughout the unit. 

With a deep draft class of defensive linemen, such as Georgia’s Jalen Carter and Clemson’s Bryan Bresee, Detroit could very well decide to improve its defensive line through the draft and use its cap space to fix other areas of the defense.