In exchange for a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Washington Commanders dealt Chase Young to the San Francisco 49ers. After taking home the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, Young was once thought to be among the best defensive players in football.
However, he has had numerous injuries throughout his career. Young’s recovery has been hampered by those injuries, as he hasn’t produced at the same level since.
The expectation going into the 49ers deal for him was that he would be a top-tier pass rusher to complement former Ohio State colleague Nick Bosa. Even though he remained fit, Young had difficulty for the most of the nine games he participated in for the squad.
He recorded five sacks for the Commanders before the trade. During his tenure with the 49ers, Young only recorded 2.5 sacks. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, there is some interest in the 49ers re-signing Young despite his difficulties.
“The 49ers have at least some interest in bringing back edge rusher Chase Young, who was a bit of a disappointment for them after their deadline deal to acquire him from Washington but is still just 24 and has a great relationship with star 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa. (They were college teammates.)
“Young might end up having to take a one-year prove-it deal, be it from San Francisco or someone else, but there are enough teams still intrigued by the 2020 No. 2 overall pick’s potential.”
The Former Commanders’ No. 2 Pick Still Has Potential
Young has demonstrated during his early career, so this is a wonderful chance for a team to acquire a possible steal in the free agent market.
Young might sign a one-year prove-it contract, according to Graziano, which makes it even more wise for a team to take a chance on the soon-to-be 25-year-old.
Although Young’s injuries have been a concern, teams should be satisfied with his performance if he can offer even half of what he did for the Washington Commanders during his first campaign. It remains to be seen if he can develop into that kind of player because he hasn’t been since his rookie campaign.
Even though he had five sacks in seven games for the Commanders, his explosiveness and agility had declined from what it had been in his rookie campaign. With the San Francisco 49ers, that was demonstrated to be accurate.
