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Payne recorded 53 tackles (32 solo), 4.0 sacks, four pass defenses, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries across 17 games in 2023.
The 320-pound DT has missed just one game through six pro seasons, but his pass-rushing stats took a big step backward in 2023 following career highs of 11.5 sacks and 20 QB hits the year prior. He's otherwise recorded between 2.0 and 5.0 sacks each year, and while he remains one of the better players on Washington's beleaguered defense, the four-year, $90 million contract he signed last spring could look like an overpay to a new coaching staff. Cutting him would incur a massive dead cap hit of $46.4 million though, so Payne figures to be back in 2024 and should be one of the few returning starters locked into a key role.
