It took a single season, but the Washington Commanders have gone from one of the worst teams in the league with few marketable players to one of the league's best ... with so many fan favorites.
Prominent names like quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin are some of the marquee stars in the Burgundy and Gold.
There's one more player that fans of the Commanders know and love ... maybe more than most others. Defensive tackle Daron Payne is the long-tenured starting player for the club.
A former first-round pick out of Alabama, Payne has been a consistent star for Washington over the last seven years. He has also been witness to all the losing seasons and embarrassing off-field controversies.
Last year, Washington's surprise rebuild and run to the conference championship game was as much a triumph for Payne's career as anything else.
That is why NFL.com's Tom Blair named Payne as Washington's easiest player to root for in his latest series.
"Jonathan Allen's departure this offseason leaves (Daron) Payne (drafted 13th overall in 2018) as one of the longest-tenured Commanders, someone who's started 84 straight regular-season games for the team -- just 38 of which ended in victory, including 12 last season," Blair said. "The 28-year-old is as deserving as anyone of reveling in Washington's transformation into a legit contender."
With Allen leaving for Minnesota, Payne will be under even more pressure this season to continue his All-Pro status and be the anchor for an improved unit in 2025.
There will, however, be other Pro Bowl players on the roster to help him.
Washington believes Payne is up to the task to lead this defense. And while time will tell if his Pro Bowl-quality play will continue for another season, it's a good call to see him as "root-worthy.''