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It’s no secret that Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young faces a pivotal year in 2023. Once Washington declined Young’s fifth-year option for 2024, Young became one of the most scrutinized players in the NFL.
Young is not only playing for his future in Washington but for his NFL future. Sure, Young will get another prime opportunity if things do not work out with the Commanders. However, he’ll have to wait for a big contract if he doesn’t have a big season in 2023.
Young made some headlines when he skipped Washington’s voluntary OTAs last month. Young was in town for the mandatory minicamp, said he was ready to play, and looked genuinely excited to be around his teammates again.
Young is one of several NFL players who face a make-or-break year in 2023. Nick Shook of NFL.com named 12 veterans at a crossroads next season. All of them are big names, including Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, Derrick Henry, Dak Prescott and Young.
Here’s what he says about Young:
The last two seasons of Young’s career have not gone according to plan.
After earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020, the injury-plagued Young has appeared in just 12 games. He’s recorded 1.5 sacks in that span. Washington simply isn’t getting close to a quality return on its investment. The Commanders declined Young’s fifth-year option this offseason, setting up a make-or-break year for a player once seen as a promising face of the NFL’s edge-rushing future.
He recently said he feels good, but he’s not yet at full game speed. Eventually, he’ll reach that point. And when he does, he’ll encounter an intriguing opportunity that can produce drastically different outcomes: Succeed, and he’ll be able to command a pretty penny. Fall short, and he’ll be searching for another opportunity at a rate much lower than the one many once anticipated.
If Young can post big sack numbers in 2023, the Commanders will likely apply the franchise tag. Head coach Ron Rivera mentioned the motivating factor when declining his option.
If Young struggles, he’d likely need to sign a one-year deal loaded with incentives in an attempt to re-establish his NFL career elsewhere.