The Washington Commanders used the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on Ohio State defensive end Chase Young. He was a highly regarded prospect and projected as a true game-wrecker coming off the edge. In Year 1, he certainly lived up to expectations.
Young won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award and earned a spot on the Pro Bowl team as a rookie. He registered 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hits with four passes defended in 15 games. Washington looked to have hit a home run with the selection and Chase would be a part of their defense for years to come.
Alas, his future with the franchise is now up in the air. On Wednesday, the team announced that they were not exercising the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. It is a somewhat surprising move as Young is now set to become a free agent in 2024.
But, the writing was on the wall for such a move to occur. Head coach Ron Rivera has been noncommittal about the option all offseason and has spoken about wanting to see how healthy Young is.
Young tore his ACL in November of 2021, which led to him missing the final seven games of that season. It was revealed that he also ruptured his patellar tendon, which led to a longer rehab process. He would not return until the final three weeks of the 2022 regular season.
Rivera has hinted that he hopes declining the fifth-year option will hopefully light a fire under Young, who has had his commitment questioned in the past. He routinely works out during the offseason away from Washington and this could motivate him to have a big reason, returning to the level he showed as a rookie.
The decision to decline his fifth-year option also complicates their future outlook. Montez Sweat, who will be playing out the 2023 season on his fifth-year option, will also be a free agent in 2024. Working out a long-term extension with him is the plan, but if talks stall, the team will have to choose between him and Young.
With only one franchise tag at their disposal, the Commanders will have to hope that a deal can be worked out with Sweat, leaving the tag available to be used on Young if need be. Washington will be a team people keep an eye on leading up to the trade deadline as well, as they could look to cash in and acquire some assets instead of risking losing one of them for nothing in free agency.
