Commanders decline fifth-year option on Chase Young
After weeks of speculation, the Washington Commanders unsurprisingly decided to decline the fifth-year option of pass rusher Chase Young’s rookie deal.
The contract option would have paid him $17.4 million fully guaranteed.
The Commanders had remained non-committal to Young’s long-term future. The Ohio State product has struggled to produce and stay on the field.
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Young suffered a torn right ACL in November 2021, forcing him to miss the last seven games of the season. The injury woes continued after that as he ruptured his patellar tendon, which elongated the recovery process, leading him to miss all but the final three games of the 2022 campaign.
Young hasn’t produced up to the expectations for a second-overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. He put forth a promising rookie campaign, posting 7.5 sacks, 44 total tackles, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.
However, he took a step back in 2021, notching just 1.5 sacks and 26 total tackles in nine games before his ACL injury. Young has gone from a potential cornerstone piece defensively to having prove himself worth a lucrative long-term deal next offseason.
If he manages to put forth a strong campaign the team could franchise tag him next offseason for a projected $24.66 million salary for defensive ends for the 2024 season.
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The 24-year-old has shown flashes of promise, but health concerns remain prevalent. The Commanders hoped that he and Montez Sweat could form a formidable pass-rush tandem.
Sweat has tallied 29.0 sacks in his first four seasons, and could be in line for an extension before the 2023 campaign.
