Getty The Eagles could be an ideal destination for Commanders DE Chase Young.
The Philadelphia Eagles could be the ideal destination for a hated rival’s franchise player.
As proposed by Sports Illustrated’s Ed Kracz, the Eagles could be an ideal destination for Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young. As suggested by Kracz, Philadelphia could swing a draft day trade for the former No. 2 overall draft pick. Kracz also mentions fellow Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat as a possible option.
“General manager Howie Roseman pulled the biggest surprise of last year’s draft by trading for A.J. Brown and negotiating a $100 million contract extension before the deal was announced,” says Kracz. “Young or Sweat would constitute another big surprise, and they make sense for a team that values the trenches.”
Why the Commanders Could Trade Chase Young
Kracz mentions Young’s contract — he’s due $10.9 million this season — for a rebuilding franchise combined with the uncertainty of opting in to the fifth year of his rookie deal as primary reasons for why the Commanders could consider unloading the young defensive end.
“Young, the third overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, is coming into the final year of his rookie contract,” says Kracz. “The Commanders have until May 2 to pick up his fifth-year option. Young’s salary cap charge this season is $10.9 million. By waiting until after June 1 to trade him -should they go in that direction – the Commanders would gain $5.2M in salary-cap relief with a dead-money hit of $5.6M.”
The large financial commitments to other players along the Commanders’ defensive line — Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen — may motivate Washington to trade Young.
“Contracts, of course, are always an issue, and Washington is paying a king’s ransom for a defensive front that simply isn’t as good as the Eagles,” says Kracz. “The Commanders just gave defensive lineman Daron Payne a new deal this offseason, signing him to a four-year, $90 million deal on March 12. That came on the heels of a contract extension for defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, who signed a four-year contract extension last July worth $72M.”
Why the Eagles Would Want to Trade for Chase Young
The 24-year-old Young turned in a promising rookie campaign back in 2020, winning Rookie Defensive Player of the Year honors after he posted 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 44 tackles. According to Pro Football Focus, Young posted an 87.2 defensive grade during the 2020 season, ranking sixth among all defensive ends (with at least 100 snaps).
However, a torn ACL injury suffered during the 2021 season stalled Young’s development. Not only was Young limited to just nine games during the 2021 season, he appeared in just three games during the 2022 season.
Prior to his ACL injury, Young posted just a 75.1 defensive grade during the 2021 season, a major decline from his grade during the 2020 season.
Although Young has yet to prove that he can regain his form following his injury, taking a chance on the former top pick may be worth taking. It’s no secret the Eagles have a high reliance on their defensive front. With starting defensive end Brandon Graham entering his age-35 season in his 14th season, Philadelphia could find his eventual replacement in Young.
However, it just isn’t likely that the Commanders trade a potential franchise star to a division rival. While the idea of the Commanders trading Young isn’t a crazy one, the notion of them trading him to an NFC East team — a move that could haunt them for a decade — isn’t happening.
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