Prior to the NFL trade deadline in the previous season, the Washington Commanders dealt former No. 2 overall pick Chase Young to the San Francisco 49ers. Young, who has struggled with injuries throughout his brief career, saw a decline in output with an ACL tear in 20221. Young earned 7.5 sacks in his debut season of 2020. Young’s 2021 season total was just 9 sacks. Nevertheless, organisations will be eager to sign Young in the hopes that he will improve things. The Minnesota Vikings are one of the possible landing locations for him.
According to Spotrac, Young is expected to sign a $13 million one-year contract. If the Vikings or any other team could acquire that production, a $13 million per deal would be a favourable one given what he has demonstrated to do when healthy. According to Dallas Robinson of Pro Football Network, the former star of the Commanders will be signed by the Vikings.
“Chase Young proved why the Washington Commanders selected him with the second overall pick in the 2020 draft by dominating the first half of the 2023 campaign. After being transferred to the San Francisco 49ers, though, he slowed considerably, and it’s still unknown what his market value is.
The Vikings have been ready to take risks on younger players as part of their “competitive rebuild,” as demonstrated by their choices of cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. and pass rusher Marcus Davenport last season. Young might not want to sign a long-term contract with Minnesota. However, it might make sense for a defensive end who is under 25 to sign a one-year contract.
The Vikings’ upcoming offseason is intriguing.
Kirk Cousins‘ impending free agency presents the Minnesota Vikings with difficult choices to make this offseason. That will probably alter their perspective on other free agents because it only makes sense to bring in a player of Young’s calibre if they’re all in.
Additionally expandable may be Justin Jefferson, depending on what they do with Cousins. The Vikings have quality on their roster, though, and re-signing Cousins and adding Young along with others would make them competitive.
Young has enough experience with the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders to convince teams to take a risk on him; if they don’t, he will have other suitors.
Pass rushers are necessary for commanders.
The Washington Commanders traded for Young and Montez Sweat at the deadline last year, so there’s never been a greater need for elite pass rushers.
In 2023, the Commanders were 26th in the NFL with an average of just 2.3 sacks per game. They only managed an average of 0.3 per game in their final three games of the season.
