Commanders General Manager Martin Mayhew said on Monday that the team has opened up discussions about a contract extension with wide receiver Terry McLaurin, but they are reportedly taking a different approach with defensive tackle Daron Payne.
Ben Standig of TheAthletic.com reports that the Commanders are not expected to offer Payne an extension. Payne is in the final year of his rookie deal after Washington exercised their fifth-year option on the 2018 first-rounder’s contract.
That runs counter to head coach Ron Rivera’s February comments about having “a tremendous amount of interest in making sure” Payne is with the team moving forward. Rivera said that before the team traded for quarterback Carson Wentz and that acquisition may be part of the reason why things are headed another way with Payne. Wentz has no guaranteed money left after this year, but has cap hits north of $26 million for the next two seasons should he remain on hand.
McLaurin’s contract likely plays a role in the team’s thinking and Washington has already signed defensive tackle Jonathan Allen to a long-term deal. A decision on defensive end Montez Sweat’s fifth-year option is coming and defensive end Chase Young will be up for an extension after next season, so there will have to be choices about how much of the cap to commit to one position group.