Commanders News: Terry McLaurin, Chase Young, Sam Howell and Week 3
By Dean Jones
Commanders have an X-factor in Chase Young
Chase Young came back with a bang in Week 2 with a sensational showing at the Denver Broncos. The former No. 2 overall selection looks primed for a bounce-back campaign based on this particular showing, although the Washington Commanders need to see the defensive end put a consistent run of games together before confidence increases.
Young managed 1.5 sacks and three pressures from 71 percent of the team's defensive snaps. Something that led Ryan McCafferty from Yardbarker to suggest that this could be the X-factor needed to propel Jack Del Rio's defense into the league's best in 2023.
"This is why Washington drafted Young. He's a player whose full impact doesn't always show up in the box score, but the defensive unit goes as he does. The more involved he was in the game, the better the Commanders played. In other words, Young is the "X-factor" — an incredibly gifted player with the highest ceiling of anyone on the defensive side of the ball. When he's on his game, he can turn Washington's defense from merely good into outright dominant, as we all saw during his rookie year. Whether or not Young still has that ability following two years of injuries and inconsistent play was the big question entering this season. And if there's anything to take away from his performance on Sunday, the answer is a resounding yes."
- Ryan McCafferty, Yardbarker
It was clear how relieved Young was after the game. His quest to silence some ongoing doubters is off to a good start and if the same trend continues, the Commanders would be wise to give the Ohio State product a lucrative contract extension next spring.