The Chicago Bears have been linked to Washington Commanders edge rusher Chase Young ahead of the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
A report surfaced on Saturday that the Commanders are looking to move either Young or fellow edge rusher Montez Sweat before next Tuesday. Washington’s decision could be influenced by what it does in its Week 8 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Young is in the final year of his deal with the Commanders after the club declined to exercise his fifth-year option. As a result, many have long surmised that Washington could move him in the middle of the season in order to recoup some value for him.
The Bears certainly seem like a strange fit for Young given their current situation, as they are just 2-5 heading into their Sunday clash with the Los Angeles Chargers and were not expected to be buyers going into the deadline.
However, Young does make sense for the club.
Chicago is in rebuilding mode, and Young is just 24 years old. The team is also projected to have decent cap space this coming offseason, so it would be able to retain Young if it trades for him.
Plus, given Young’s inconsistency and difficulty staying on the field since being taken with the No. 2 overall pick back in 2020, he may not cost too much in draft assets. The possibility exists that Young could be had for something less than a Day 1 pick.
Young has seen a bit of a resurgence this season, logging 14 tackles and five sacks in six games, but he amassed a grand total of just 1.5 sacks between 2021 and 2022 due to a combination of injuries (he tore his ACL nine games into the former year) and underwhelming performance.
If the Bears do swing a deal for Chase Young, they would obviously be hoping to get the 2020 version of him, where he registered 44 tackles and 7.5 sacks en route to a Pro Bowl appearance.
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