Washington Roster Review: Defensive Tackles
Taking a closer look at how Washington's defensive tackles played in 2021 and where the team stands at the position heading into 2022
With the 2021 season in the books for Washington, it’s time to look back at the roster and evaluate each position to see where the team stands going into the offseason. Previously I looked at the safeties, cornerbacks, linebackers and defensive ends. Today it’s the turn of the defensive tackles.
Under contract for 2022: Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Matt Ioannidis.
Notable free agents: Tim Settle.
Unit analysis:
As anticipated, the interior defensive lineman were Washington’s most reliable players over the course of the season. The group is headlined by two first-rounders from Alabama in Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, but they are well supported by Matt Ioannidis and Tim Settle, both of whom could be starting or at least playing far more frequently on other teams. The group all played consistently well throughout the season, giving the rest of the defense a platform to work off of, though the team didn’t necessarily take advantage of that.
When Washington had big issues at linebacker, it was this group that had to make up for them. Instead of playing with two linebackers in a normal 4-2-5 nickel package, Washington went with an extra defensive lineman in a 5-1-5 set instead. This was because Ioannidis and Settle gave Washington strong depth on the interior defensive line and proved to be more effective than running with a second linebacker.
The big three remain under contract for 2022. Jonathan Allen elevated to an all-pro level of performance after signing his contract extension last offseason and Daron Payne improved his consistency too as he enters a critical year in terms of his contract. Washington triggered the fifth-year option for 2022 last offseason, but the team should probably look to sign Payne long-term or move him instead of risking him leaving for nothing in 2023.
Ioannidis didn’t have the most productive year after coming back from injury, but he’s still a stout defensive tackle and under contract for 2022, though it is the last year of his deal as well. Tim Settle, the fourth man in the rotation, is a free agent this offseason and many expect him to leave in search of an opportunity to start somewhere instead of being stuck in the rotation in Washington. Settle has shown flashes of talent that suggest he’s capable of more than being a rotational option, but it remains to be seen if other teams around the league agree and are willing to pay him as such.
Washington is in a good spot with the defensive tackle group heading into the offseason, given its top three players at the position are all under contract for 2022. However, some foresight would be wise given only Allen is under contract beyond next season. Signing Payne would likely be expensive but would give Washington long-term stability at the position. Alternatively, Washington could view Payne as someone that could net a solid return in a trade or be used as an asset in a trade for a veteran quarterback. In that scenario, re-signing Settle and Ioannidis to replace Payne and battle for the starting role next to Allen could maintain some stability and depth at the position while also maximizing assets.
Personally, I’d be looking to get Payne signed and secure the starting pairing of Allen and Payne long-term. Ioannidis is a strong third option and Washington could then look to add a free agent or two for depth, find someone in the middle rounds of the draft to develop or use some of their bigger defensive ends like James Smith-Williams and Daniel Wise as options inside in certain situations. If say, the Packers want Payne as an essential piece in an Aaron Rodgers trade (hypothetically, I don’t think it's particularly likely), then I’d trade Payne and move quickly to get Settle and Ioannidis extended. But otherwise, my priority would be to sign Payne.
Individual analysis:
Jonathan Allen was superb in 2020 and fully earned his contract extension in the offseason. I fully anticipated him continuing to perform to his 2020 level and I wasn’t concerned he’d suddenly fall off after getting paid. However, Allen went the other way and improved even further. He took a big step forward this season and was a legitimate All-Pro candidate at defensive tackle. Aaron Donald will almost always have one spot locked up as long as he’s in the NFL, but after him Allen was just as good as the other candidates in Chris Jones, Cam Hayward and Jeffrey Simmons. Frankly he should have been named to at least the second team, if not on the first All-Pro team alongside Donald.
All-Pro or not, his play was outstanding and his consistency throughout the season was excellent. He was extraordinarily stout against the run, constantly filling his gap, stacking up blockers and taking away lanes for running backs. He also played incredibly smart in the run game, understanding how different blocking schemes worked and often worked into a gap that made it harder for him to have success, but made it easier for the linebacker group behind him that struggled much of the season.
As a pass rusher, Allen finally saw the rewards for his efforts that he didn’t quite get in 2020. Allen leaned on his favored cross-chop-hump move that he’s perfected now, but he was far from a one-trick pony. He showed a wide variety of rush moves and generated regular pressure on the quarterback. He hit a career high with nine sacks, but his overall pressure rate was very good, which is typically a much better indicator than sack numbers for how good a pass rusher is.
Alongside Allen, Payne had a quietly nice season too. Allen wasn’t alone in taking a step forward as Payne became a much more consistent player. Payne has always been a strong run defender and this year has been no different.
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