Oweh, Payne, Chaisson all cleared for Week 1

When asked for comment, Commanders coach Dan Quinn said, “anytime you’re seeing a specialist, of course, there is reason for concern.” Both starting edge rushers, OLB Odafe Oweh (calf) and OLB K’Lavon Chaisson (knee), and backup LB Jordan Magee (shoulder) are also sidelined by recent injuries. The Commanders’ defensive front is tasked with corralling the Eagles’ rushing attack in three and a half weeks.

The Commanders’ D/ST unit finished 29th in total scoring last year, while tying for the third-most yards allowed per play at 6.0. This year, the coaches hope to wield “waves of players that [can] apply pressure” and schematic disguises to cause hesitation in quarterbacks and create takeaways. The front office revamped the defense’s front-seven, highlighted by EDGE Odafe Oweh’s four-year, $100 million contract, and added slot DB Amik Robertson in free agency. The rest of the secondary contains question marks. If Quinn can effectively implement new DC Daronte Jones’ blitzing concepts, derived from his time studying under Vikings DC Brian Flores, the unit should improve its play. Unfortunately, they play in a division loaded with high-end offenses. If the secondary cannot uphold its end of the bargain, the pass defense could remain a unit to target for fantasy purposes.

It is more than Mike Reiss predicted Chaisson would get in free agency, but he had to take a one-year deal to do it. Chaisson should be a starter on the edge for the Commanders, on the other side of the ball as Odafe Oweh. The defensive line has received a major makeover this tampering period in Washington.

$68 million of this is guaranteed per Adam Schefter. Oweh did indeed hit the $25 million mark that Daniel Popper believed could lead to the Chargers letting him walk. The 27-year-old EDGE had 7.5 sacks in 12 games with the Chargers last year and will now try to revitalize Washington’s lagging pass rush. He’s been more of a complementary rusher so far — this is a contract that says the Commanders want him to be the main man.

The Cowboys lost out on the Maxx Crosby trade sweepstakes and will have to pivot — they reportedly had some interest in Hendrickson at the deadline. Oweh probably makes more sense as a younger upside swing, and this is the third of four NFC East teams in on Jaelan Phillips that we’ve heard about.

Oweh came over in a midseason trade and immediately heated up for the Chargers, finishing with 7.5 sacks in just 12 games with the Bolts. Entering his age-28 season, the Chargers apparently don’t think him worthy of the franchise tag. This report seems to say that if Oweh hits free agency, there’s a real chance he’ll wind up elsewhere. If so, Popper posits, the team could use their first-round pick on a replacement for Oweh on the edge.

It all finally clicked for Chaisson with the Patriots, where he posted a career high 7.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hits last year. It sounds like at that price range, other teams around the league view Chaisson as a starter at this point. Entering his age-27 season, it’s likely a team will get prime years from Chaisson in free agency.

Rodriguez was a late add to the injury report with an illness and is now officially inactive for the Commanders’ Christmas afternoon game against the Cowboys. Jacory Croskey-Merrit is an RB3 with Rodriguez out. The Commanders also declared QB Jayden Daniels, QB Marcus Mariota, QB Sam Hartman, LT Laremy Tunsil, LB Nick Bellore, and DT Daron Payne out against the Cowboys. Payne did not practice all week with a back issue. Jeff Driskel is Josh Johnson’s backup while Sam Hartman is the emergency third quarterback for Week 17.

Payne could appeal this, but the tape doesn’t exactly work in his favor. Payne took a blatant, cheap shot at St. Brown during the second quarter of Sunday’s game and was immediately ejected for his actions. Assuming this holds up, which it should, Payne will miss Week 11’s game against the Dolphins in Spain and will be eligible to return in Week 13 after the Commanders’ bye week.

Payne was flagged after a hard-fought 13-yard touchdown run made by Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs. Payne can be clearly seen punching Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown on the left side of his facemask. Astonishingly, Commanders DT Javon Kinlaw was not ejected after striking a referee in the forehead, though he was penalized, after Payne was ejected. The Commanders also may have lost CB Trey Amos, who entered the game with a hip injury, and required two trainers’ assistance to leave the field after injuring his ankle on the play. Amos is currently questionable to return.