3 players the Commanders should hold off on extending in 2023
By Dean Jones
Chase Young – Commanders DE
Chase Young not getting an early contract extension when eligible would have been laughable after his rookie campaign. The defensive end looked every bit the player he was drafted to be at No. 2 overall, but it’s been a steep downhill decline ever since thanks in no small part to luckless injuries over the last two campaigns.
With 12 games and 1.5 sacks under his belt from 2021-22, the Washington Commanders have a significant dilemma on their hands with Young. Something they need to figure out quickly with a fifth-option trigger decision due in the very near future.
Young has every athletic intangible needed to become dominant. But the Commanders must err on the side of caution considering the Ohio State product’s current career trajectory.
When discussing Young and his fifth-year option earlier this offseason, Ron Rivera said it was still being evaluated. He also highlighted how not picking up Daron Payne’s option ended up costing Washington in a good way.
"“What do we see in terms of development and growth? We’re going to sit down with the doctors, with the trainers. Where is he? If you look at what Daron did, why wouldn’t you think of it that way? Believe me, that would be my approach, especially looking at what Daron did and the situation he put himself in. … It cost us [with Daron]. But it cost us in a good way, because the young man played; he did things the right way.”"
While Young will have a point to prove and additional motivation, there’s just no telling which way it’ll go. That’s why holding off is the right call for the Commanders, even if it means they’d have to pay the edge rusher and Montez Sweat in the same offseason.