3 Commanders players that must rebound positively in 2023

Chase Young – Commanders DE

There are few players in the NFL with more on the line next season. Chase Young has quickly gone from a generational prospect to an injury-prone edge presence in danger of becoming one of the biggest draft busts in recent memory if things don’t improve.

That might sound a little harsh, but it’s the reality.

Young just hasn’t looked like the same dominant presence that took the field in 2020, with a constant stream of complications resulting in some obvious hesitancy. This is reflected in the player attaining just 1.5 sacks over the last two years.

He is working exceptionally hard this offseason in pursuit of silencing his doubters. If the defensive end can remain healthy throughout the preparation period, then this could be the springboard that ignites the former No. 2 overall selection to bigger things moving forward.

Regardless of whether the Washington Commanders pick up his fifth-year option or not, it shouldn’t change anything where Young is concerned. This is the campaign where he needs to emerge into the player everyone thought possible coming out of Ohio State – something that could give Jack Del Rio’s defense a different dynamic after missing so much football previously.

This situation must be managed carefully by the Commanders this offseason. Keeping Young fresh and managing his practice reps is a good place to start, but the stakes couldn’t be much higher for a player who once had the world at his feet.