49ers are Acquiring Pass Rusher Chase Young From the Commanders

This is a trade that was desperately needed for the 49ers. Chase Young will provide a great boost to their lacking pass rush.

What an impressive get. 

The San Francisco 49ers are acquiring pass rusher Chase Young from the Washington Commanders in exchange for a third-round pick, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. 

Trade II: Washington is dealing DE Chase Young to the San Francisco 49ers for a third-round pick, per sources.

On the trade deadline day, Washington now has moved on from Young and Montez Sweat, once viewed as foundational players.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 31, 2023

This is a trade that was desperately needed for the 49ers. They get their splash acquisition right at the trade deadline at a position that needed a boost. Young has five sacks on the year so far, which is more than any other 49ers player including Nick Bosa who is now reunited with his college teammate. Getting to the quarterback has been abysmal for the 49ers this season. It's never been so inefficient like this in recent memory. Acquiring Young now gives the 49ers the ability to be that dominant pass rush that they're accustomed to. 

He knows how to get there, so hopefully his influence can prove helpful to the rest. And with the pass rush improving, it should benefit the secondary as well. Having a strong and disruptive pass rush always makes it easier in coverage for defensive backs. While it would've been sweet for the 49ers to also have reeled in a cornerback, they at least can have solace knowing an adequate pass rush can make it better as well.

The best part of all of this is the 49ers only needed to send a third-round pick for Young. Given how horrid the 49ers are at picking in that round, I'd say this is one of their best third-round investments yet. Young is also only going to account for $561,000 on the salary cap. The only bummer about this is Young probably isn't going to be a long-term player. He most likely is just a rental player, but that is perfectly fine. 

Young is the 2019 version of Emmanuel Sanders. He is a player who was acquired with a third round pick in the last year of his deal to help revitalize a weak area. The 49ers ended up making an appearance in the Super Bowl partly because of that. Perhaps this acquisition for Young will prove the same.