Commanders Will Not Explore New Contract For DT Daron Payne Until After Season

At the end of February, Commanders GM Adam Peters expressed high hopes for defensive tackle Daron Payne in 2026, the last year of his current deal (via JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington). Those remarks suggested Washington would not seek to move on from Payne despite his $27.95MM cap charge, though Peters also said the team would not explore a new contract for Payne until after the ’26 season.

Payne’s cap number – which also could have been reduced with an extension – has not prevented the Commanders from being very busy in free agency. The club has been especially active along the defensive front, adding Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, Tim Settle, and Charles Omenihu and re-signing Deatrich Wise, Shy Tuttle, and Drake Jackson

Of that group, only Oweh and Settle landed multiyear accords, so if Payne performs well in 2026, there should be no financial obstacle to a re-up. It does make sense for the team to wait and see if Payne’s platform campaign can yield an uptick in performance, as the soon-to-be 29-year-old has been unable to approach the career-best 11.5 sacks he posted in 2022 (his lone Pro Bowl season), and he has never drawn particularly strong grades from Pro Football Focus. 

On the other hand, the Commanders are reportedly more bullish on Payne’s performance than PFF, and his presence, combined with the new additions, could make the club’s D-line a real strength in the upcoming season. Even after his FA expenditures, there has been no public indication that Peters has changed his mind on allowing Payne to play out the last year of the contract designed by the Ron Rivera/Martin Mayhew regime.

We also have a few notes to pass along on some of the above-referenced deals:

  • K’Lavon Chaisson, DE. Originally reported as a one-year, $12MM deal, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports Chaisson can earn $11MM on his pact. Of that figure, $10.3MM ($7MM signing bonus, $3.3MM base salary) is fully guaranteed.
  • Charles Omenihu, DE. One year, $4MM. $7MM max value. The deal includes $3.3MM in full guarantees, including $2.3MM in base salary and a $1MM signing bonus, per Wilson. Omenihu can earn $30K per game in active roster bonuses and $190K in workout bonuses.
  • Tim Settle, DT. Reported as a three-year, $24MM deal with a max value of $25.5MM. The exact base figure, as Wilson reports, is $23.49MM. That includes $7.3MM in full guarantees, which is mostly comprised of a $6MM signing bonus. Settle also secured $4.7MM in injury guarantees and is due to earn salaries of $1.3MM, $7.1MM, and $6.2MM over the life of the contract.
  • Deatrich Wise, DE. One year. The deal is worth $1.45MM and includes a $1.3MM salary and $75K signing bonus, according to Wilson. Wise will carry a $1.45MM cap charge.

Commanders Re-Sign DE Deatrich Wise, DT Shy Tuttle

The Commanders added two veterans in the defensive trenches last year but barely saw use out of either of them. Well, both defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. and defensive tackle Shy Tuttle will get another chance in Washington as the Commanders have re-signed both players to one-year deals for the 2026 NFL season, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Wise joined the Commanders as a free agent almost a year ago, signing with only his second NFL franchise after spending the first eight years of his career in New England. After working his way up from rotational piece to full-time starter for the Patriots over that time then falling back down the depth chart, Wise found himself in Washington, where he would once again get a chance at being a full-time starter. Unfortunately, only two games into the season, Wise was carted off the field with a season-ending quad injury. This new deal will allow Wise a second chance at a first full season with the Commanders.

Tuttle also only played two games with the Commanders in 2025, but that was because he spent the majority of his season with the Titans. Over the first ten weeks of the season, Tuttle worked as a rotational tackle on the defensive line in Tennessee, playing about a quarter of the team’s defensive snaps. After seeing no game action for about a month late in the season, Tuttle was put on waivers by the Titans and claimed by the Commanders. He played in the team’s final two games before the season came to an end.

These two veterans have both fallen on harder times after working to establish themselves as starters in the NFL. The Commanders believe they’ve got enough to offer, though, and will give each player another opportunity to contribute in 2026 now that Wise should be able to get healthy and Tuttle will get a full offseason with the team.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/15/25

Today’s minor moves:

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Philadelphia Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

As expected, Cowboys center Cooper Beebe landed on injured reserve today after suffering an ankle and foot injury during yesterday’s win over the Giants. The lineman suffered a lateral sprain in his ankle along with a bone fracture in his foot, an injury that’s expected to keep him sidelined for six to eight weeks. During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones expressed optimism that the injury timeline is “on the shorter end of that” (per Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com).

Commanders DE Deatrich Wise Suffers Season-Ending Quad Injury

Austin Ekeler‘s presumed Achilles tear is not the only major injury the Commanders suffered Thursday night. Deatrich Wise is set to miss the remainder of the campaign.

The veteran defensive end posted on Instagram Friday he is facing a lengthy recovery period after a quad injury saw him carted off the field. Shortly thereafter, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wise’s injury will keep him out for the rest of the season. Surgery will be required, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Wise spent his first eight seasons with the Patriots, registering 63 starts over that span. The 31-year-old was among the players not retained by new head coach Mike Vrabel and Co., however. On the open market, he inked a one-year deal to head to Washington.

That $3.25MM pact included $2.35MM in guarantees, and Wise started each of his first two games with the Commanders. A notable workload would have remained the expectation in this case moving forward, but instead his attention will now turn to recovery. As a pending free agent, today’s news will obviously have significant and unwanted financial implications.

The Commanders’ defensive front underwent a number of changes this offseason, and Wise was joined by Jacob Martin and, later, Von Miller as a newcomer along the edge. Those two will be counted on to handle an increased workload moving forward. Wise has reached at least five sacks three times in a season, including the 2024 campaign. Another productive year would have helped the Commanders offset Dante Fowler‘s free agent departure while boosting the former fourth-rounder’s market value next spring.

The Commanders dropped to 1-1 with last night’s loss. Their offense will be shorthanded the rest of the way with Ekeler out of the picture, but Wise’s absence will deal a blow on the other side of the ball. Washington’s efforts to repeat last year’s success will include a key contributor along the edge sidelined after only a brief spell on the field.

Commanders Agree To Sign DE Deatrich Wise

The Commanders continue to rebuild their defensive line for the 2025 NFL season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the team will add defensive end Deatrich Wise on a one-year, $5MM contract.

After watching Jonathan Allen depart for Minnesota in free agency and seeing the contracts of Clelin Ferrell and Dante Fowler expire, Washington was going to need to address a defensive line that, despite the return of Daron Payne, Dorance Armstrong, and Jer’Zhan Newton, lacked depth and experience. The team started with the huge, impact addition of defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and followed that up today with another defensive tackle in Eddie Goldman and Wise.

Wise has resided in New England ever since the Patriots drafted him in the fourth round in 2017. Over an eight-year career in New England, Wise appeared in 126 of a possible 131 games and made 61 starts. He’s pretty consistently averaged just over 4.5 sacks per season while totaling 34 tackles for loss and 90 quarterback hits. Early in his career, as a rotational rusher, Wise consistently got after the quarterback, with 9.5 sacks and 35 quarterback hits in his first two seasons. It took him another three years to pass three sacks in a season after that.

Over his eight years in the NFL with the Patriots, Wise only spent two years (2022 & 2023) as a full-time starter. He took advantage of that first season, seeing career highs in sacks (7.5), total tackles (59), and tackles for loss (7) while adding 11 quarterback hits. In 2023, though, his time as a full-time starter was less effective, only resulting in 4.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, and six quarterback hits. He had a resurgent 2024 campaign, despite missing two games, totaling five sacks, five tackles for loss, and eight quarterback hits.

Due to a lack of depth and options, Wise projects to be a starter across from Armstrong at the moment in Washington. Additional free agent or draft additions could certainly change that outlook, though, and put Wise back into position as a rotational rusher.

In New England, the Patriots aren’t losing too much along the defensive line besides Wise, and they’ve added a significant piece in former Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams and a depth piece in former Cardinals defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga. It’s not apples and apples, but the presence of those two along the defensive front should give New England plenty of alignment options with the staff they now have.

Patriots Rework Deatrich Wise’s Deal

The Patriots have converted $2.85MM of defensive lineman Deatrich Wise’s base salary into a signing bonus (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com). The adjustment will carve out $1.9MM in additional salary cap room for the Patriots. 

[RELATED: Patriots Trade For D. Parker]

The move will allow the Pats to absorb the salary of wide receiver DeVante Parker, who came from the Dolphins — along with a 2022 fifth-round pick — in exchange for a 2023 third-round choice. Parker’s deal calls for a $5.65MM base salary in 2022 and $5.7MM in 2013, though there’s zero guarantees remaining on his deal. For the Pats, it’s a thrifty WR upgrade after missing out on more ambitious targets like Odell Beckham Jr.

Wise Jr., 28, has blossomed into a quality edge player who can also moonlight at defensive tackle. Last year, the 2017 fourth-round pick was rewarded with a four-year, $22MM deal. This revision probably won’t impact his bottom line much, but it will give the Patriots the flexibility they need in 2022.

Before the move, the Patriots were near the bottom of the league in available cap space. They’re still in the cap cellar, but they’ll likely restructure other veterans in the coming weeks to clear up the books.

Wise finished 41 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble last year while starting in nine of his 16 games played.

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 12/30/21

Here are Thursday’s reserve/COVID-19 list updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

  • Activated from virus list: OL Cody Ford, CB Cam Lewis
  • Activated from practice squad virus list: TE Quintin Morris

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Placed on practice squad virus list: LB Omari Cobb

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

NFL COVID List Updates: 12/25-12/26/21

We’ve compiled a list of players who were placed on or activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Christmas and today. In some instances, players activated from the list remain on IR:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Steven Sims

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Patriots To Re-Sign Deatrich Wise

The Patriots have been the most aggressive team in the league so far, signing free agents left and right, and now they’re bringing back one of their own. New England has agreed to terms on a new deal to bring back defensive lineman Deatrich Wise, a source told Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

A fourth-round pick out of Arkansas back in 2017, Wise just wrapped up his initial rookie contract. He’s been a consistent role player during his four years in New England, starting at least three games each season but never more than seven. He had five sacks as a rookie and then 4.5 as a sophomore.

He started seven games this past year and appeared in all 16, playing around 55 percent of the defensive snaps. He finished with only 2.5 sacks this time as the Patriots’ pass-rush struggled as a whole.

The team has been making moves to upgrade the defensive front by adding defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and pass-rusher Matt Judon, but they clearly didn’t feel like that made Wise expendable.

Patriots Notes: Thomas, Michel, Gronk, Wynn

Demaryius Thomas is not a lock to make the Patriots’ 53-man roster and may well begin the season on the reserve/PUP list. The Patriots started that process Sunday by placing the Pro Bowl wide receiver on their active/PUP list, which applies to players not healthy enough to begin participating in training camp. The Pats used the same designation for Sony Michel, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Michel will certainly be part of the 2019 Patriots and is recovering from offseason knee surgery. Thomas tore an Achilles in December, joining longtime receiver teammate Emmanuel Sanders in that regard. The latter, however, is further along in his recovery, having not started Broncos camp on the PUP list.

Here is the latest out of New England:

  • Patriots third-round pick Yodny Cajuste underwent quadriceps surgery before the draft and landed on the defending Super Bowl champions’ reserve/NFI list, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. As is the case with the active/PUP list, players can come off this list at any point during camp. Cajuste figures to mix in as a swing option for the Patriots as a rookie.
  • If Rob Gronkowski does follow through on a comeback, might the Patriots be wise to assure him blocking responsibilities will be limited? While the future Hall of Famer was a plus blocker for his position, Jim McBride of the Boston Globe suggests the Pats use Gronk as a hybrid-type player that does not have the same kind of in-line role he previously held. The 30-year-old icon has slimmed down this offseason, one that has reportedly not featured much in the way of strength work.
  • Deatrich Wise and Nate Ebner will join Thomas and Michel on the Pats’ active/PUP list, Reiss tweets. A third-year defensive end, Wise has not missed a game in two seasons.
  • Isaiah Wynn, however, will not appear on the Pats’ active/PUP list, Reiss adds (via Twitter). The 2018 first-round pick missed all of his rookie season due to a torn Achilles’ tendon. Suffering the injury before last season began, Wynn is expected to suit up when the Patriots convene for their 2019 camp and line up as New England’s starting left tackle.
  • The Pats do not appear to have an open spot at quarterback, with Reiss noting Brian Hoyer will stick as Tom Brady‘s top backup and rookie Jarrett Stidham is likely assured of a roster spot as the team’s latest developmental QB project. This puts 2018 seventh-round pick Danny Etling on the verge of again falling short of a spot on the team’s active roster. But he may have an outside shot as a Taysom Hill-like role, per Reiss. While the Purdue and LSU alum never rushed for more than 200 yards in a season in college, Reiss points to his 86-yard touchdown run during 2018 preseason play as a sign this outside-the-box notion could work. The Patriots probably aren’t too eager to take Brady off the field, however.
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