Commanders’ defense starts inside with defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne

ASHBURN, Va. — Neither Jonathan Allen nor Daron Payne is considered among the best of the best defensive linemen in the NFL. Even with Chase Young sidelined for much of the past two seasons, the front four led by Allen, Payne and edge rusher Montez Sweat is the reason Washington’s defense ranked third last season. I love coming up here every day, showing all the hard work that I put in and I love making plays.” That’s what coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio are expecting from Allen and Payne, especially after 2022 second-round pick Phidarian Mathis landed on injured reserve Thursday with a calf injury. “You don’t see guys like that every day, let alone the entire front built up of guys like that.” Unlike the offense, which is learning new coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s system, the defense is going into a fourth season under Rivera and Del Rio. “I feel like we have a good understanding of what we’re trying to do, but now we can really fine tune on how we’re going to accomplish that.” NOTES: In addition to Mathis, the team put defensive end Efe Obada on IR and brought back previously cut defensive tackle Abdullah Anderson and center Tyler Larsen.. No.