Falcon Report

Falcons' Cordarrelle Patterson: Daron Payne, Come On Over!

Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne could be looking for a new home this offseason. And Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson wants to become his teammate.

Jeremy Brener

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The Atlanta Falcons have a need on the defensive line, and arguably the best defensive lineman on the market this offseason is Washington Commanders Pro Bowler Daron Payne.

Payne, who turns 26 in May, enjoyed a career year for the Commanders in 2022. He recorded 11.5 sacks, three shy of his first four seasons combined. He also recorded a career-high 64 tackles, anchoring one of the best defensive lines in the league.

Payne already has the approval of vocal Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson, who tweeted his support of Payne Tuesday.

He would be an upgrade over the average talent the Falcons have placed next to Grady Jarrett over the years and could help rebuild the defense in Atlanta.

The Falcons are projected to be one of the biggest spenders in free agency this spring, holding the league's second-most cap space behind the Chicago Bears. 

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot should have the green light to sign big free agents like Payne in hopes to push Atlanta back to the playoffs for the first time in six seasons.

New defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen coached the New Orleans Saints defensive line for six seasons, so the Falcons could look to address that unit in particular this offseason.

Payne could be a candidate for the franchise tag if the Commanders cannot agree to terms with him, but if he has the chance to walk, Atlanta should take Patterson's advice and lay out the red carpet.

Follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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Jeremy Brener
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.

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