For the past seven seasons, both Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne have plugged the middle of the Washington Commanders' defensive line.
Heading into 2025, Payne will be doing it without Allen, who has moved on to the Minnesota Vikings in free agency.
Both head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. have been vocal with praise about Payne this offseason, and most think he can take a leap in 2025 now that he's out of Allen's shadow on the defensive line.
Payne is an easy guy to root for, and NFL.com's Tom Blair placed him on a list with the "players to root for" in 2025.
"Many of us are already rooting for Jayden Daniels, because, duh, and for Terry McLaurin, because he's A) very good and B) paid his dues in the extreme as a mainstay of the franchise's pre-Daniels days," Blair wrote. "How about giving some love to the other roster stalwart who has Really Gone Through It in Washington? Jonathan Allen's departure this offseason leaves 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. The 28-year-old is as deserving as anyone of reveling in Washington's transformation into a legit contender.
"All the better if Payne, whose pressure rate and sack totals dipped after an 11.5-sack 2022 season, can translate the positive buzz he's been generating to a renewed dominance on the field."
ESPN stopped just short of adding Payne to its "top 10 defensive tackles" in the NFL, but he did receive votes.
And he should be easy to root for on an offense with a lot of other fun players to cheer for in 2025.