Getty Chase Young lines up.
The Washington Commanders traded Chase Young before the NFL Trade Deadline last season to the San Francisco 49ers. Young had an opportunity to win a Super Bowl and get a fresh start with a 49ers team that was arguably the best in football. As a free agent, Young will have options and a chance to prove he can be the player he was prior to his injuries. Of the potential landing spots, Aaron Schatz of ESPN predicts that he’ll sign with the New Orleans Saints.
Schatz views Young as a player on a prove-it deal. The thought of Young and Nick Bosa lining up together in 2023-24 was a scary thought, but Young didn’t dominate as much as he was expected to. That could leave teams hesitant to pay him big money, especially with his injuries. Young played in nine games in 2021 and three in 2022. Schatz writes that the former Commanders No. 2 pick could be an option for the Saints.
“Well, here we are with the Saints again needing to restructure a bunch of contracts. Yet they always seem to find space for a couple of free agent signings. The biggest need here is pretty obvious, as New Orleans ranked 31st in pass rush win rate and 31st in adjusted sack rate. There are several strong free agent edge rushers, and the Saints need to find one who fits their budget.
“The best option might be a one-year, prove-it contract for Young. He couldn’t stay healthy in 2021 and 2022, and while he had 7.5 sacks in 2023, his game fell off after he was dealt to San Francisco in the middle of the season. Young ranked 15th among edge rushers with a 19.3% pass rush win rate off the edge, but that went from 24.8% while he was with Washington to just 12.9% with San Francisco (through the playoffs). On a one-year deal with New Orleans, Young could play opposite Cameron Jordan and prove he still has all the talent that made him the No. 2 overall pick in 2020.”
Young Should Have Options in Free Agency
If Young is going to get a one-year deal, which Schatz writes might be the best option, he should have teams lining up at his door in free agency.
The Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, and Detroit Lions, among others, had trouble getting to the quarterback last season and could have an interest in the 24-year-old.
The Washington Commanders will be in the mix for a pass rusher, but Young already did his time in Washington and it didn’t end as well as many hoped for. Although he could be a perfect target for what they need, both sides would be better off fully moving on.
Commanders Made the Right Decision Trading Young
While the Washington Commanders trading Young wasn’t an easy decision with how much they put into him, it was the right one.
Young hasn’t shown the ability to be the player he was his rookie season after dealing with these injuries. Young finished with 7.5 sacks this season, the same amount he had as a rookie. However, he forced four fumbles and had nearly 20 more tackles in one less game as a rookie.
It wasn’t working out and cutting their losses was the right thing to do.