5 Teams That Should Trade For EDGE Chase Young

Chase Young entered the 2020 NFL Draft with immense hype and was even billed as a generational talent by some. It is hard to blame the media for being so high on Young because he truly was a difference-maker at Ohio State.

The Buckeye pass rusher was impossible to block in one-on-one situations. Even when teams would send double teams his way, Young would still fight through them to make a play on the ball. His burst and strength off the line of scrimmage constantly overwhelmed the assignment across from him.

Young accumulated 30.5 sacks during his collegiate career, parlaying this success into several individual awards, including a nomination for the Heisman Trophy. Ultimately, the star defender finished fourth in voting behind Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, and his teammate Justin Fields.

Nevertheless, Young’s hype was as high as ever entering the pre-draft process. While the Ohio State standout opted against working out at the NFL Combine, it did not dissuade franchises from lining up at his door.

At No. 2 overall, the Washington Commanders selected the former five-star talent and inked him to a lucrative rookie deal. Defensive Rookie of the Year talks sped up at a breakneck pace throughout training camp, and Young did not disappoint.

Although Young missed a couple of games in Year 1, he still brought down the quarterback 7.5 times as a rookie. His four forced fumbles ranked near the top of the NFL, and his four pass deflections highlight how massive his arms are. All of this resulted in a Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

The optimism around Young heading into his second season with Washington amplified to the next level. Following his impressive debut, the 6-foot-5 defensive lineman struggled in the first half of the year before tearing his ACL in Week 10 and bringing his sophomore campaign to a screeching halt.

The surgery was more extensive than the typical ACL cleanup, so Young only appeared in three games in 2022. It is unfair to judge the gifted pass rusher solely on these few contests, but reports surrounding Young’s recovery and future prognosis call his remaining potential into question.

To the surprise of some, the Commanders elected not to exercise the fifth-year option on Young’s rookie contract. This means he can become a free agent next offseason, assuming the franchise fails to agree to a long-term deal before then. Given his injury history, and the hesitancy to commit, it opens the door for a trade.

5 Teams That Should Trade For EDGE Chase Young

We shouldn’t expect the Commanders to give away such a talented player, but the circumstances surrounding Young will likely result in a lesser package than you might expect. Who are the teams with the cap space, positional need, and willingness to bet on a player recovering from a major injury?

Chase Young: $10.9 Million Cap Hit