Washington Commanders' Pro Bowler working with top guru to become even better than he already is
Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne is easily one of the best at his position and there's no argument otherwise.Which is why it's exciting to see him working with one of the country's top fitness gurus in coach Martino Savage. The five-time Coach/Trainer of the Year, who's located in the Loudon County area, is putting […]
Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne is easily one of the best at his position and there's no argument otherwise.
Which is why it's exciting to see him working with one of the country's top fitness gurus in coach Martino Savage. The five-time Coach/Trainer of the Year, who's located in the Loudon County area, is putting Payne and some of his teammates through drills in the summer heat in order to get them ready for training camp and the upcoming season.
The Commanders defense was one of the NFL's worst units last year and Payne's numbers suffered, as a result. He followed up his 11.5 sack and 18 tackles for loss campaign in 2022 with 4.0 sacks and 13 TFLs. He played in all 17 games and even recorded a career-high 924 defensive snaps. The production simply didn't follow due to the crumbling environment around him.
The same goes for his running mate in Jonathan Allen. Together, they form the NFL's best DT duo and there's not a close second. Allen recorded just 5.5 sacks in 2023 – his lowest mark since 2020, but both players are clearly looking to get back track in Dan Quinn's new defensive scheme.
If Payne and Allen (as well as Johnny Newton once he's healthy) can get back to their dominating ways, it should create a trickle-down effect, to where the secondary – the NFL's worst in 2023 – can be effective and improve, despite a few personnel questions.
Either way, it's always a good thing to see the top players and leaders on a team putting in the work during the true dead part of the year, even if it's routine. It sets a great example and keeps the guys on their game, which should lead to much better results once the season kicks off in September.
