Commanders DE Chase Young: Breaking Records in 2022?
Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young had a season to forget in 2021.
After winning Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2020, Young struggled in his sophomore campaign, recording just 1.5 sacks and landing on injured reserve with a torn ACL in early November.
However, ESPN believes Young will bounce back in his third season as one of the sack leaders in 2022 if he can stay healthy.
“Well, I look at a guy like Chase Young,” McFarland said. “He’s coming off an ACL injury, obviously. His rookie year he had 7.5 sacks and he was just going to build on that last year, but the ACL popped up, he got injured. I think he’s gonna be motivated—not only didn’t he make the top 10, but motivated coming off the ACL.”
“If he can stay healthy for 17 games, he will approach 20 sacks in the National Football League and approach the forced fumble record,” McFarland said. “He is that type of disruptive and dynamic athlete at the defensive end position for the Washington Commanders.”
Young is entering a critical year as the Commanders will have a choice to make regarding his fifth-year option at season's end. If he underperforms for a second straight season, there will be serious consideration to decline the option.
He doesn't have to be the Defensive Player of the Year and record 20 sacks, but anything less than a career-high eight sacks and at least a couple of forced fumbles is going to leave a lot of questions hanging in the air for the Commanders and how to proceed with their former No. 2 overall pick.
