NFL analyst ranks Montez Sweat, Chase Young as a top-five pass-rushing duo

One NFL analyst ranked the top pass-rushing duos in the league. Chase Young and Montez Sweat were on the list, but not No. 1.

Washington defensive end Montez Sweat made headlines earlier in the week when he said he and Chase Young had their sights set on breaking the NFL sack record by a duo.

“We talk about it all the time, breaking records and stuff like that,” Sweat said, per Ethan Cadeaux of NBC Sports Washington. “I personally want to go get the combined sack record that the guys got back before. We talk about it all the time.”

The record is 39 sacks, set by Minnesota teammates Keith Millard and Chris Doleman.

Young’s preseason debut had many fans believing the duo can break the record. Young raced around the New England left tackle to sack Cam Newton and force a fumble. The play was ruled an incomplete pass, but it doesn’t matter.

Bucky Brooks of NFL.com recently ranked the NFL’s top pass-rushing duos, and surprisingly, the combination of Sweat and Young wasn’t No. 1.

Brooks offered high praise to the pair:

The WFT duo ranks as the most athletic edge tandem in the league. Sweat and Young are built like superheroes and their pass-rush skills showcase their superpowers (speed, athleticism, power and burst). Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio is not afraid to unleash them on an assortment of stunts and games that enable them to utilize their superior first-step quickness and movement skills against lumbering offensive tackles. Considering the young pass rushers are still figuring out how to access all the tools on their tool belt, the rest of the league should be wary of the disruptive tandem in D.C.

Brooks ranked Sweat and Young No. 3. The Rams’ duo of Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd was No. 1, followed by Tampa Bay’s threesome of Devin White, Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett. I thought he was talking about duos?

Brooks is a respected analyst, and his rankings make sense. But when you talk about edge rushers, there is no better pair in the NFL than Young and Sweat.

While breaking the combined sack record in 2021 may be a lofty goal, I wouldn’t rule it out.