The Washington Commanders should trade defensive tackle Daron Payne before the NFL trade deadline. Coming out of the bye week, Payne was at the top of my list of players Washington needs to move. The question is what the Commanders can actually get for him, so I built two trade options for Payne using the A to Z Sports trade simulator, which you can find on the front page of AtoZSports.com.

The first problem is that the simulator agrees Payne has lost value. Among Washington’s defensive linemen, Odafe Oweh grades out at 708 points. Payne sits at 161. That number has fallen significantly since he signed his contract, and a former first-round pick should command more than that.

He doesn’t. So the job is simple: find a team that needs a defensive tackle and bring back a piece that fits in Washington.

Trade 1: Daron Payne to Jacksonville for Brian Thomas Jr.

The Commanders need a receiver. Terry McLaurin was ruled out for the year, and Washington needs someone who can command targets. Every trade I mock before the deadline will send a receiver to Washington. The Giants won Sunday, and no matter what happens between Philadelphia and Dallas on Monday night, Washington isn’t out of the hunt.

That points to Jacksonville and Brian Thomas Jr.

The simulator grades Thomas at 559 points against Payne’s 161. A straight swap is a big Commanders win, so I added a Washington fourth-round pick to get the deal to “leans Commanders.” I think Payne is better than his 161 points. He’s just having a bad year.

Thomas has been off since his rookie season. Is he playing wide receiver well right now? Not particularly. His ability to work over the middle is a real concern. But he’s a 24-year-old on his rookie deal who can still take the top off a defense, and he remains a terrific athlete.

I also don’t think Jacksonville runs its offense well. The Jaguars lean too heavily on a by-committee approach, and Thomas should be getting more targets. Then there’s Trevor Lawrence, I don’t see much trust between him and Thomas.

Jayden Daniels and Brian Thomas Jr. could get along great. That’s a reclamation project worth taking on.

Trade 2: Daron Payne to Carolina for Isaiah Simmons

Carolina needs a defensive tackle. Washington needs a linebacker, especially without Leo Chenal.

For this one, Payne heads to the Panthers in exchange for Isaiah Simmons and a Carolina fourth-round pick. The simulator considers a straight-up swap of Daron Payne for Isaiah Simmons a significant win for Washington.

Even with Payne struggling to make the impact expected of him, I wouldn’t move a veteran defensive tackle for Simmons alone. Simmons has tremendous athletic ability, but his NFL career has been defined by inconsistency.

My preferred offer would be Payne to Carolina for Simmons and a fourth-round pick.

That isn’t a deal the simulator necessarily considers balanced. It’s the return I’d want Washington to pursue before agreeing to move Payne.

Sonny Styles is being deployed well as a tall, rangy, freak athlete who can cover. So pair him with another tall, rangy freak athlete. Simmons has never been solved, but if one team has handled a hyper-athletic linebacker best this season, it’s Washington.

Simmons and Styles together would present a lot of headaches as true coverage linebackers who can also rush the passer. It also fits what Dan Quinn wants in a defense: tall athletes who can cover with a lot of speed.

Simmons has hopped from team to team. He makes a big play everywhere he goes, but he’s never been consistent enough to carve out a home. Simmons needs to find that place, and Washington could be that.

Why I’d move Daron Payne before the deadline

I understand the argument for keeping Payne. He’s an established veteran with a track record of production, and moving a starting defensive tackle creates another hole on a roster that already has several.

But I’m evaluating the player Washington has right now, not the player Payne was when he earned his contract.

From what I’ve seen this season, he hasn’t consistently disrupted opposing passing games or provided the interior impact the Commanders need.

That doesn’t mean he has no value. It means Washington should explore whether another team values him more highly than the role he’s currently filling.

If moving Payne could help address a more urgent need at wide receiver or linebacker, I’d be willing to listen.

Plenty of big bodies would be thrilled to take up the A-gap for an NFL paycheck. Get low, eat space. That’s what Payne is doing anyway.

I’d rather roll the dice on a riskier player and see if Washington can be the team that finally unlocks him.

Commanders lose ground in NFC East without playing as Giants stun Texans in overtime during Washington’s bye week