The Washington Commanders find themselves in a rather precarious position concerning the status of edge rusher Chase Young. A trade could be possible and a team like the Baltimore Ravens would likely be ready to pounce if he becomes available.
The Commanders selected Young with the second overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft with the hope that he would transform their defense, and early on, he looked to be on his way to doing just that.
During his rookie campaign, Young racked up 44 tackles, 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown en route to a Pro Bowl appearance.
However, in 2021, Young tore his ACL nine games into the season, and even when he was on the field that year, he was disappointing, totaling just 26 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
As a result of his knee injury, Young appeared in only three contests last year, and he proceeded to miss Week 1 of this season due to a stinger he sustained in preseason.
In the five games Young has played in 2023, he has logged 11 tackles and three sacks.
Washington declined to exercise Young’s fifth-year option, meaning that the 24-year-old is slated to hit free agency this offseason.
For that reason, some have speculated that the Commanders could ultimately trade Young ahead of the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline.
Pro Football Focus sees the Baltimore Ravens as a potential fit, suggesting that the Ravens trade their 2024 third-round draft pick as well as their 2025 third-rounder to Washington in exchange for Young.
Now, here’s the catch: the Commanders are 3-3 and are very much alive in the NFC playoff picture, so whether or not they decide to trade Young over the next couple of weeks will come down to whether or not the front office thinks the club is actually a legitimate contender.
Baltimore would certainly be an interesting landing spot for Chase Young, as it already lays claim to the NFL’s second-ranked defense.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
