49ers acquire former No. 2 overall pick at trade deadline

Feb 25, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch came through with a huge trade at the deadline for the second year in a row.

Last year, Lynch acquired Christian McCaffrey in a deal with the Carolina Panthers. This year, Lynch swooped in and plucked Chase Young away from the Washington Commanders. The Niners reportedly traded a third-round pick to Washington for the 2020 No. 2 overall pick.

The Commanders’ trade of Young came a little over an hour after the team dealt fellow defensive lineman Montez Sweat to the Bears. The Commanders received a second-round pick for Sweat, but reportedly just a third for Young.

Young is in the final year of his rookie contract. Washington did not pick up their fifth-year option for the often-injured defensive lineman.

Young has played in just 34 games during his NFL career. He has 5 sacks in 7 games this season. Sweat was a first-round pick in 2019 and has 32 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles through eight games this season. Like Young, Sweat is in the final season of his contract.

Young played in 9 games in 2021 before tearing ligaments in his knee that caused him to miss the rest of that season and most of last season. Now he will join a defensive line in San Francisco that already includes Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead and Javon Hargrave.