Which Washington Commanders players must step up after the team opted to trade Montez Sweat and Chase Young before the 2023 deadline?
To say the Washington Commanders dropped a bombshell would be a big understatement before the trade deadline. Many thought one of Chase Young or Montez Sweat would be moved given they're out of contract in 2024 and the financial implications of keeping them on board, but to part ways with both was a shocking development in no uncertain terms.
Reports suggest that the Commanders were keen on keeping Sweat before the Chicago Bears came in with an offer they couldn't refuse. The issues surrounding Young came to light after they sent him to the San Francisco 49ers for nothing more than a third-round compensatory pick.
What this means for the Commanders' pass-rush over their remaining nine games has yet to be determined. Opportunity knocks for those lower down the pecking order, while more will also be asked of some established stars in the hope of salvaging some semblance of respectability from the 2023 campaign.
With this in mind, here are four players that must step up after Washington's trade activity before the deadline.
James Smith-Williams - Commanders DE
After shining in a rotational role before the current campaign, James Smith-Williams has seen his snaps diminish through eight games. This is primarily down to Chase Young's return to full health, but that could change now that the former Ohio State phenom has been removed completely from the equation.
One would expect Smith-Williams to get a shot from the starting role moving forward. This represents a huge opportunity for the former seventh-round pick, who has seven sacks, 28 quarterback hits, and 13 tackles for loss during his career involvement with the Washington Commanders up to now.
Whether he can capitalize on this chance remains to be seen.
Daron Payne - Commanders DT
One of the big reasons why the Washington Commanders would have found it difficult to extend Montez Sweat and Chase Young was the money already tied up on their defensive front. Jonathan Allen got a huge contract after an exceptional start to his career and Daron Payne was also rewarded with a hefty deal following his genuine breakout campaign in 2022.
Payne received a four-year, $90 million extension from the Commanders that also came with a $28 million signing bonus and $59 million guaranteed. Unfortunately for the player and the Commanders, he has yet to reach the heights expected this time around.
There's been something missing regarding Payne's production through eight games. He's not found life nearly as easy when it comes to generating pressure and his run-game flaws have also reared their ugly head once again on occasion.
Now that the Commanders don't have the benefit of Sweat and Young flying off the edge, Payne must start wreaking havoc on the interior because one sack and seven pressures from eight contests is simply not going to cut it.
The former first-round pick out of Alabama has every physical intangible needed to be more impactful - he proved as much during a Pro Bowl-caliber campaign that got him such a lucrative deal. With Sweat and Young gone, Payne must become Washington's long-term alpha on the defensive front.
Simple as that.
Jamin Davis - Commanders LB
Montez Sweat and Chase Young were two highly-touted first-round selections coming out of college. One exceeded expectations while the other couldn't reach the generational projections many envisaged thanks in no small part to injury.
It was a tough decision to trade both, one suspects. But Josh Harris' ownership group wants to start building for the future and that made them necessary sacrifices in pursuit of progression.
Make no mistake, this should put everyone on high alert. Nobody is safe - and I mean nobody - so finishing the campaign strongly and improving their aspirations is of critical importance.
This places Jamin Davis firmly under the microscope. The linebacker's made some decent strides in Year 3 of his professional career despite not having the greatest supporting cast at the defensive second-level, but more will be needed over the next nine games without Sweat and Young.
One area where Davis doesn't get enough credit is rushing the quarterback. The former first-round selection demonstrates physicality and explosiveness when given the chance to get into the backfield, which should become more frequent over the next few months if defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio sees fit.
With Davis' fifth-year option decision looming, putting out positive tape should be his primary focus no matter the role. If he proves his worth with additional responsibilities, then he can feel confident about staying part of Washington's plans.
Casey Toohill - Commanders DL
It's been an extremely limited sample size, but Casey Toohill could be the player that benefits most from the Washington Commanders trading Chase Young and Montez Sweat before the 2023 deadline. This is due to how well the unheralded player is currently performing from a rotational role.
The defensive lineman emerged as the personification of doing more with less this season. Toohill's featured in just 20 percent of the team's defensive snaps, but he's managed to accumulate four sacks, five quarterback hits, five pressures, and three tackles for loss during this span.
This sort of production warrants further examination from a starting role now that Young and Sweat are no longer on the books. Toohill is out of contract next spring, so the added motivation is there for all to see if he can maximize the opportunity in front of him.
If nobody on the Commanders' defensive edge steps up, then it becomes a top priority either via free agency or the 2024 NFL Draft. However, there is a significant amount of intrigue in Toohill when one considers how encouraging his development has been this season overall.
Should the Commanders place Toohill and Jams Smith-Williams on the edge, they'll go from two first-round selections to a pair of seventh-rounders in starting roles. That is a wild turn of events and an obvious indictment of how ownership perceives the team's current state under head coach Ron Rivera.