Commanders’ Daron Payne out for season with foot fracture

By Liam Griffin - The Washington Times - Sunday, November 1, 2026

The hits keep coming for the 1-4-1 Washington Commanders. Standout defensive tackle Daron Payne is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a fractured foot, a source familiar with the injury confirmed Sunday.

Payne is the longest-tenured player on Washington’s defense. The Alabama product joined the team as a first-round pick in 2018.

The 29-year-old recorded seven tackles, one sack and a forced fumble this season. He suffered the injury during Friday’s practice, ahead of Sunday night’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Washington was already faced with a thin interior defensive line. Fellow tackle Javon Kinlaw will miss Sunday’s game with a knee injury. Third-year lineman Jer’Zhan Newton missed the first six games of the season with a torn pectoral muscle suffered during training camp. He returned to practice this week, but will also be held out of Sunday’s game.

The Commanders signed practice squad lineman Byron Cowart to the active roster on Saturday to provide depth to the battered defensive front.

But Payne’s injury impacts the 31 other teams across the NFL as well. The 2022 Pro Bowler was often floated in trade rumors ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline.

His expiring contract — combined with nine seasons of solid production and Washington’s subpar record to start the season — made Payne a clear target for contenders looking to add an interior presence. His injury immediately squashed any potential trade for the defensive tackle.

Washington’s injury list keeps growing. The Commanders lost five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a torn triceps during injury. He remains on the injured reserve, though coach Dan Quinn said this week that Tunsil will be reevaluated in the next month.

Wide receiver Terry McLaurin — the longest-tenured player on Washington’s offense — left the Commanders’ last game against the San Francisco 49ers with a knee injury. It was later diagnosed as a torn patellar tendon, ending his season.