Merit and Danger of trade for Chase Young
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The Chase Young rumor mill is opening up again, and with the Bears still looking for an edge player like the Commanders' third-year player.
However, it's hardly something anyone should be excited about considering what Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer wrote in his notes column on the topic.
While the Commanders do have money probably for only Montez Sweat or Young and not both, it seems unlikely he'd be traded—and Breer admits as much in a parenthetical reference applicable to this situation.
"Teams coming out of the spring thinking they need more help may make trade calls on Young (it seems unlikely the Washington brass would move him ahead of a must-win year, but I know they'd be open to listening), and there's a pretty surprising number of accomplished pass rushers still on the market, with Jadeveon Clowney, Justin Houston, Yannick Ngakoue and Frank Clark among the biggest names out there," Breer wrote.
It does seem unlikely Washington would be willing to trade Young considering the coaching staff's job status. Then again, no one can operate as if the future doesn't matter. If they kept Young through the season and didn't trade him, they'd be sure to get nothing for him as he'd be afree agent next year.
Beyond this, Breer earlier mentions the other reason the Bears or anyone else might not even want to come calling, and why the asking price should not be high. He writes "...as Young tries to prove he can get healthy and back to himself again."
Young suffered not just a torn right ACL in mid-November of 2021, but also ruptured the patellar tendon. As a result, the 6-4, 265-pound edge played in only three games last year and was nowhere near the level he had been prior as he registered only five tackles, no sacks, one pressure and one quarterback hit.
In his rookie year, Young produced 7 1/2 sacks and 24 pressures. Then he had 1 1/2 sacks and 13 pressures for nine games his second season before going out for the year.
So it's not as if Young was some sort of established star before his injury. Current Bears defensive ends Rasheem Green and Trevis Gipson have averaged more sacks a season than Young. But make no mistake, the Bears need edge rush help. They just need healthy edge rush help.
The good news for Washington and any team interested in Young is they started minicamp on Tuesday and Young was allowed to practice. He did not practice during voluntary OTAs.
Commanders coach Ron Rivera wants to see Young moving quickly and with confidence according to reports.
If he couldn't practice in OTAs more than a year and a half after his injury, you still have to wonder if he's completely past this or ever will be. Young does fall in an age range when the Bears would be interested as someone still on his first contract.
Either way, a safer Bears play looks like one of the unsigned free agents for one year and take their chances on the draft next year.
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