Commanders defensive lineman Daron Payne has a season-ending Jones fracture, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported. The injury happened during Friday's practice. Schefter's report came after earlier reporting from Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, who said Payne would be out for the foreseeable future and would likely be placed on injured reserve. NFL Trade Rumors noted that the earlier reports left some room for a different outcome. Schefter's version says the injury is a season-ender.
Bleeding Green Nation adds the matchup angle. With Payne hurt and Javon Kinlaw already ruled out, it says the Commanders will be without their top two interior defensive linemen against the Eagles in Week 8. That ruling on Kinlaw comes from BGN alone in the material we have. The reporting we have doesn't say what Kinlaw is dealing with or how long he might be out. It also doesn't say whether Payne has formally been placed on injured reserve.
Both players were producing. Payne has played in all six of Washington's games this season, with 14 total tackles (7 solo), a sack and a forced fumble. Kinlaw has 13 tackles (8 solo) and a sack in six games. Those lines are close enough that the loss of both takes two regular interior contributors away at once.
Washington comes in at 1-4 and last in the NFC East. It is coming off a 23-17 loss at San Francisco on Oct. 19. Before that it drew 27-27 with the Giants and lost 30-13 to Indianapolis. Its defense has already given up 30, 27 and 23 points in those games.
Philadelphia has little room to be comfortable. The Eagles are 2-5, third in the division, and have lost five straight. Their last three losses were 38-21 to Dallas on Monday night, 25-14 to Carolina and 19-17 at Jacksonville. BGN says the Eagles are also banged up at running back, though the excerpt cuts off before it gets to Saquon Barkley, so we can't say what it reports about him.
Sun, Nov 1, 8:20 PM ET
The two teams meet Sunday, Nov. 1, in Washington. The Eagles will try to end their skid against a Commanders defense missing both its starting interior linemen. Washington is looking for a second win.
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