2 reasons the Commanders should keep Montez Sweat over Chase Young in 2024

Should the Washington Commanders give Chase Young or Montez Sweat a new contract if it ends up being a choice between the two in 2024?

While the consensus is that the Washington Commanders will only keep one of their star edge players, there is still a possibility the franchise will keep both long-term. There have been mock trades for both Chase Young and Montez Sweat circulating the internet, although nothing concrete has emerged yet.

In an article, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently reported on the Commanders' looming decision regarding Young and Sweat. And the insider highlighted how difficult it might be to keep them both on the books in 2024.

"Chase Young's reporting to Commander's minicamp on Monday again highlights the situation Washington is in with its edge rushers. The Commanders have already paid Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen on the interior of the defensive line, and giving two more pass rushers, in Young and Montez Sweat, big contracts might be tough. So as Young tries to prove he can get healthy and back to himself again, he and Sweat might be competing for the last spot."

- Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated

Per Breer, the team will likely keep either Sweat or Young. The franchise has already invested $72 million in defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and $11.5 million of this year's cap is going to Sweat, who the team recently exercised his fifth-year option.

The Commanders also gave a brand new $90 million deal with $59 million guaranteed to defensive tackle Daron Payne after an outstanding 2022 season. That's a lot of money tied up to the trenches of a middle-of-the-pack at best team. 

So today, let's focus on Sweat, the player the Commanders should invest in the long term. We have two reasons for that.