The Washington Commanders began OTAs Tuesday in Ashburn. Four players missed the first day for various reasons, including wide receiver Terry McLaurin. McLaurin is choosing to skip the voluntary portion of on-field workouts while he discusses a contract extension with the team.
Another important Washington starter is also entering the final season of his rookie contract with the Commanders. Defensive tackle Daron Payne is set to play the 2022 season on his fifth-year option, which will pay him $8.5 million next season.
Payne was present for the first day of Washington’s OTAs, but Ben Standig of The Athletic reported Payne walked off the practice field Tuesday and chose not to participate in team drills due to the frustration of his contract situation.
NEWS: In addition to Terry McLaurin and Chase Young skipping today’s OTA session, Commanders DT Daron Payne walked off the field during practice and declined to participate in team drills due to lagging contract talks. For @TheAthletic: https://t.co/u8BBZ6TKxT
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 24, 2022
JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington and 106.7 The Fan later reported that Payne did attend team meetings after practice and joined his teammates for a workout.
Checked in with sources on Daron Payne – while he might not be happy about his contract situation, he still did team weight lifting and attended meetings after practice today. Whatever’s going on, he’s handling it like a pro.
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) May 24, 2022
You never know what may have transpired, causing Payne to walk off the field. And most importantly, Payne is present. Remember, Standig reported last month, before the draft, that the Commanders weren’t planning on offering Payne a contract extension. Not because they don’t like Payne as a player, but because they paid fellow defensive tackle Jonathan Allen last offseason.
While Payne walking off the field was a story, it’s really a non-story when you look at the bigger picture. It sounds like Payne isn’t planning a holdout but may just be choosing not to participate in on-field work to avoid injury.