The Washington Commanders decided to stock up on future draft capital by trading two of their top players ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, but they may have had another big reason for parting with Chase Young.
According to Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle, Young was viewed within the Commanders organization as being an “undisciplined” player. That is likely why Washington chose not to pick up the $17.4 million fifth-year option on Young’s rookie contract and did not make an effort to sign him to an extension.
“Young, according to several Commanders coaches and other organizational sources, was viewed as an undisciplined player who developed bad habits such as deviating from assignments in an effort to make splash plays,” Silver wrote on Tuesday. “His off-the-field priorities and commitment to his craft were often questioned, and he was viewed internally as a player who plateaued as a rookie.”
The San Francisco 49ers gave up a third-round pick to acquire Young, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Just hours before that, the Commanders got a second-round pick in return for defensive lineman Montez Sweat, so some were surprised the return for Young was not the same.
Young has 5 sacks in 7 games this season. The 49ers are projected to receive multiple compensatory third-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, so acquiring Young is a low-risk, high-reward move for them.
If Young puts forth the appropriate effort in San Francisco, he should have plenty of opportunities to produce on a line that already features Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead and Javon Hargrave.
