Washington defensive end Chase Young was back in Ashburn this week as the Commanders kicked off the mandatory minicamp Tuesday.
Young looked good in Tuesday’s practice. After practice, he spoke to the media, and while he didn’t reveal a lot, he did say his knee was fine, and he had plenty of motivation for 2023.
However, Young’s presence on the field Tuesday wasn’t the only headline concerning him. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated had a report Tuesday morning that the Commanders are unlikely to trade Young; they would be open to listening to offers for the former NFL defensive rookie of the year.
Chase Young’s reporting to Commanders minicamp on Monday again highlights the situation Washington is in with its edge rushers. The Commanders have already paid Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen on the interior of the defensive line, and giving two more pass rushers, in Young and Montez Sweat, big contracts might be tough. So as Young tries to prove he can get healthy and back to himself again, he and Sweat might be competing for the last spot. Teams coming out of the spring thinking they need more help may make trade calls on Young (it seems unlikely the Washington brass would move him ahead of a must-win year, but I know they’d be open to listening).
Of course, the Commanders would listen. Washington would be foolish not to listen. But that doesn’t mean the Commanders are trading him. Once this story hit social media, Breer offered the following tweet.
Just updating this—Chase Young has looked pretty phenomenal in minicamp (much better than in practice at the end of last year), and I'd say chances of the @Commanders considering offers on him aren't what they were pre-draft.
Teams can call. But I'd highly doubt he gets moved. https://t.co/amVZ2ZGo3M
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) June 6, 2023
A motivated and healthy Chase Young is one of Washington’s most important players. If Young plays like he’s capable of playing in 2023, the Commanders will do everything in their power to retain him.
Not only can Young potentially be a terrific pass rusher, but he’s an excellent building block for new owner Josh Harris with his charisma and local ties. When head coach Ron Rivera said he wanted to motivate Young, he meant it. For Rivera, it was never about trading Young; it was about unlocking his vast potential. There’s a long way to go but Young got off to a good start Tuesday.
