ESPN's Dan Graziano put the Commanders defensive tackle at the top of his early trade deadline candidate list on October 2.
The Athletic's Jonathan Jones then independently named Payne among six players he's watching after talking to sources around the league.
Two Insiders, Same Name
Graziano's reasoning centers on the contract. "His contract voids at the end of the season, which will make him a free agent, unless the Commanders extend him first," Graziano wrote.
"If they do that, feel free to scratch him right off this list. But if they don't, and if the Commanders aren't in the NFC East race by midseason, their 2018 first-round pick could be of interest to teams looking to fill holes along their defensive lines."
ESPN's @DanGrazianoESPN put Daron Payne on his list of 10 players who could be moved before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
— SleeperCommanders (@SleeperWSH) October 2, 2026
The logic: Payne's contract voids after this season, and without an extension, he's a trade candidate either way.
Out of the NFC East race by midseason? He… pic.twitter.com/OJeMrADFbJ
Jones was less specific. He listed Payne alongside Steelers pass rusher Alex Highsmith, Colts defensive tackle Grover Stewart, Giants edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy, and Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr., noting simply, "For now, it's quiet."
Payne is in the final year of the four-year, $90 million deal he signed in 2023. Washington reportedly chose not to explore an extension this offseason and said it would hold off on any long-term talks until after the season, which is part of what's kept his trade name alive since the spring.
His trade value is roughly a 2027 third-round pick.
Payne's own performance cuts both ways. His contract-year start makes him more valuable to Washington than any return a trade would bring.
Through three games, Payne has eight pressures, three run stops, and seven quarterback hurries, even with just four tackles to show for it. Payne is closer to a new deal in Washington than a trade to a contender, though that could change depending on how the season goes.
