Commanders' Daron Payne vs. Eagles' Javon Hargrave: Who's Best Free Agent DT?

The NFC East is home to two of the best free agent defensive tackles. Will they stay in the division this offseason?

Jeremy Brener | Feb 3, 2023

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Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders have a lot of pressure on their plate to re-sign defensive tackle Daron Payne this offseason.

ESPN ranked the top 50 free agents in the NFL this season, and Payne ranked No. 4.

"Payne posted career numbers in his contract season with 11.5 sacks and 32 solo tackles from the defensive tackle position," ESPN writes. "A big, powerful mover at 6-foot-3, 320 pounds, Payne is a disruptive defender with foot quickness and lower-body agility who can play in multiple fronts. His pass rush win rate when lined up inside (12.7%) ranked 12th in the NFL. He could be in line for a big deal based on his 2022 film."

Payne is considered to be one of the best defensive tackles on the market, but Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Javon Hargrave ranks slightly ahead of him at No. 3.

"Hargrave's 2022 tape has boosted his free agent profile," ESPN writes. "The veteran tackle had 11 sacks and 37 tackles this season. His 17.2% pass rush win rate when he was lined up on the interior ranked third in the NFL (behind Kansas City's Chris Jones and Houston's Maliek Collins). Slippery off the ball with an upfield burst, Hargrave can knife through protection to hit the quarterback or use his lower-body power to push the pocket. Hargrave had 23 sacks in three seasons with the Eagles. Plus, he has the ability to control a gap in the run front."

There's an argument for both, but Payne is four years younger than Hargrave and has a better chance of entering his prime on his next contract.

Regardless of who is better between Payne and Hargrave, both NFC East teams should be prepared to shell a bunch of cash to their talented defensive tackles.

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Published Feb 3, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.