Commanders DT Phidarian Mathis making 'great progress' in return from knee injury

The Washington Commanders selected Alabama defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft. Most believed Mathis was an eventual replacement for Daron Payne, who was scheduled to be a free agent in the 2023 offseason. It didn’t help that there was the report around draft time that said the Commanders weren’t expected to offer Payne a long-term extension.