Writing on the Alabama Wall: Mathis’ selection looms large over Payne’s future

ASHBURN — If Phidarian Mathis was drafted to one day replace Daron Payne, Ron Rivera wasn’t about to tip his hand. 

Asked about his team taking a defensive tackle — from the same school no less —  in the second round with Payne’s contract set to expire after next season, the Commanders’ coach insisted the selection doesn’t change the way he feels about Payne. “Not at all,” Rivera said. Rather, Rivera focused on the opportunity available for Mathis, an Alabama product, for the upcoming season.

After cutting defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis earlier in the offseason, Washington needed someone to fill the void. Ioannidis, after all, played almost 55% of the team’s defensive snaps, and Rivera made clear he sees Mathis as a potential option to be Ioannidis’ plug-and-play replacement. The rookie, of course, will have to earn it.

With Payne, Rivera cautioned not to jump to conclusions. 

“This is about bringing a guy in, giving him an opportunity to contribute and be a part of what we’re trying to do,” Rivera said of Mathis. “Just because you don’t do anything now (with Payne’s contract) doesn’t mean you can’t do anything later.” 

Despite the answer, Payne’s future will undoubtedly continue to be a subject of discussion. The Athletic reported earlier this week that the Commanders don’t intend to offer Payne a contract extension, adding the defensive lineman has been made available in trade conversations. The Commanders already gave teammate Jonathan Allen a four-year, $72 million contract last summer and teams rarely pay top money to two players at the same position.

Mathis will be a cheaper alternative. Because he was selected 47th overall, Mathis is projected to sign a four-year, $8.2 million contract with a $3.1 million signing bonus. If Payne becomes one of the 10 highest-paid interior defensive linemen — not out of the realm of possibility — he would likely make no less than $14 million annually on a multi-year deal. Allen clocks in at No. 5 on that list. 

Football teams only have so many resources available, and Rivera has admitted that the team’s acquisition of Carson Wentz has already caused them to pivot. Ioannidis, for example, was cut to save nearly $6 million and help absorb Wentz’s $28.3 million cap hit. Payne isn’t the only player in need of an extension, either: star wide receiver Terry McLaurin’s deal is also set to expire after 2022. 

A day earlier, Washington’s pick of Penn State’s Jahan Dotson could have been perceived as a possible insurance plan for the Commanders in case they aren’t able to extend McLaurin. Rivera, like he did Friday with Payne and Mathis, tried to separate the two from being connected.

But there was a key difference in how Rivera responded to each question about McLaurin and Payne. 

On Thursday, the coach noted that discussions about a new deal for McLaurin are underway. He made no such mention of that for Payne.

“Just so you know, we have started that process,” Rivera told reporters, regarding negotiations with McLaurin. “I’ll give you guys that right now.”

Make no mistake, Payne has been a solid — sometimes outright dominant — player for the Burgundy and Gold since being drafted 13th overall in 2018. He has played in 63 of 64 games, and has developed into a better pass rusher than perhaps most expected with 14 ½ sacks. Payne and Allen form a formidable duo up the middle, despite them coming to blows on the bench last year during an ugly blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys. 

For Washington to be able to sustain Payne’s possible — eventual? — exit, Mathis will be expected to develop into a significant contributor. On Friday, general manager Martin Mayhew said Mathis was more developed in the run game, but had a “sneaky ability to rush the passer.” Mathis recorded 9 ½ sacks last season, albeit mostly when Alabama was way ahead. 

Mayhew’s description of Mathis sounded a lot like the scouting report that former Washington coach Jay Gruden gave Payne shortly after the team drafted him. Payne, also coming from Alabama, was perceived as better against the run.

Coincidentally, Payne and Mathis aren’t that far apart in age. Mathis just turned 24 this week, while Payne turns 25 next week. The two overlapped in Tuscaloosa — with Mathis’ true freshman year coming in Payne’s final collegiate season.

They may only overlap for one year once again. 

“You try to figure out the best way to be able to pay players and sometimes you can’t do it right away,” Rivera said. “And so that’s kind of the situation we’re in right now. We’re trying to take care of certain other things as well as we go forward and we’ll see how we can adjust to it. Who knows what happens after that.”