4 critical observations from Commanders 2023 mandatory minicamp Day 1

Chase Young looked sharp on Commanders return

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who the star attraction would be on the first day of the Washington Commanders' mandatory minicamp. That was, of course, the return to practice of Chase Young.

The defensive end opted to skip voluntary workouts and get ready away from the facility. This irked some sections of the fanbase, who questioned Young's commitment to the cause and especially after how things have unfolded over the last two years.

Thankfully, Young didn't let this become much of an issue. Although he was sporting a knee brace, the edge defender looked incredibly sharp during drills, demonstrating the sort of explosiveness that made him such a highly-touted recruit coming out of Ohio State.

This is just the first step on Young's road to redemption. There's a long way to go and the Commanders will be eager to take their time with the No. 2 overall selection in 2020 to avoid any unnecessary complications on the health front, but this was better than almost anyone could have hoped for.

Just look at this video montage put together by Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post for further proof.

Young is about to embark on a career crossroads season. And there was a notable increase in urgency from the moment he crossed the white lines on Day 1 of Washington's mandatory minicamp.