Could the Washington Commanders use the 2026 NFL Draft to begin preparing for life after defensive tackle Daron Payne? Payne is entering the final year of his contract in 2026. The 2018 first-round pick is usually at his best when playing on an expiring contract.

The Commanders all but ruled out an extension for Payne this offseason, noting that left tackle Laremy Tunsil was the only extension that was a priority at the time. Since then, Tunsil has signed a record extension, while guard Nick Allegretti and safety Jeremy Reaves each signed one-year extensions.

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Washington holds the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and could look to add a defensive tackle. While there is no tackle likely to be drafted inside the top 10, the Commanders could trade down and acquire more picks or address the position with a later pick.

While Washington has been linked to numerous players throughout the pre-draft process, we haven’t heard them speaking with many interior defenders. However, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic, the Commanders recently met with Louisville defensive tackle Rene Konga. Specifically, Konga met with Washington’s defensive line coaches, Eric Henderson and Darryl Tapp.

Who is Konga?

Konga is a 6-foot-3, 299-pound Canadian who spent four seasons at Rutgers before transferring to Louisville in 2024. In two years for the Cardinals, Konga played in 23 games and finished his career as a second-team All-ACC selection. He played in 44 career games, recording 63 tackles, including 11 for loss and five sacks.

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Konga is a rare athlete.

Those are ridiculous numbers for his size. He has some interesting tape, too.

Finally, we know how Washington general manager Adam Peters is a big fan of the Relative Athletic Score (RAS) metric. Several of the Commanders’ recently signed free agents all produced high RAS scores coming out of college. Here’s Konga’s score:

If Konga were at the NFL combine last month, he would’ve tested at or near the top of every test.

Washington isn’t the only team interested in Konga. The Cowboys are reportedly bringing him in for a top-30 visit. His performance at Louisville’s pro day this week only helped his stock.

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The Commanders have Payne, Javon Kinlaw, Tim Settle, Jer’Zhan Newton and Ricky Barber under contract next season. They appear deep on paper, but Payne’s future, along with a new defensive scheme, could make Konga an interesting match for Washington.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders recently met with Louisville DT Rene Konga