OCTOBER 22: Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) contradicts Fowler’s report to some degree. She hears that while the Commanders are staying patient for the time being, they have made calls to gauge the market on both Young and Sweat. She gets the sense that one of the two pass rushers will be on the move (provided, of course, that a team meets Washington’s asking price).
Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports is more closely aligned with Fowler, saying that there have been no internal conversations about moving either player, since the next two games will be so pivotal in determining the direction of a club that is currently 3-3. Jones believes it is unlikely that either player is traded at the deadline.
OCTOBER 20: As the trade deadline draws closer, many teams have important decisions to make with short- and long-term roster implications. In the case of the Commanders, the team’s plans regarding its top two edge rushers will be worth watching. 
Chase Young and Montez Sweat have been mentioned in trade speculation given their lack of commitments beyond this year from Washington. The former is set to hit free agency in March since his fifth-year option was not picked up, while the latter is playing out his option ($11.5MM) this season. Both remain full-time starters whose performances will go a long way in determining their respective futures in the nation’s capital.
On that point, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Commanders plan to have both Young and Sweat in the fold for years to come, meaning they are not looking to trade either of them. Young, the second overall pick in 2020, has been marred by injury troubles since his Rookie of the Year-winning debut season. This year, however, the 24-year-old has suited up in five of six games and produced three sacks and 15 QB pressures.
Sweat leads the Commanders with 4.5 sacks this year, putting him halfway to his career-high in that department from 2020. Washington has posted 19 total sacks this season, demonstrating the effectiveness of its Day 1-laden defensive front – led along the interior by Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen – when healthy. Both Allen (in 2021) and Payne (this past March) inked big-ticket extensions, making it a potentially tricky proposition to commit to one or both of Young and Sweat on lucrative second contracts of their own.
As Fowler adds, the Commanders’ desire to keep both of their starting defensive ends won’t preclude them from listening to offers ahead of this year’s October 31 deadline. In the event a deal were to be given serious consideration and ultimately finalized, Young would be the likelier edge rusher to be moved, Fowler notes. That falls in line with the prevailing thought concerning the latter, who did not come close to replicating his Pro Bowl season from 2020 in his limited action over the two following campaigns (although his play so far this season has been more encouraging).
Sitting at 3-3, the Commanders are one of several teams which cannot be firmly placed into the buyers or sellers category at this point. Continued strong play from both Young and Sweat could make the team’s decision on their fates easier, but interested teams could emerge with a less cumbersome financial outlook along the D-line regarding 2024 and beyond. It will thus be interesting to see how much of a market develops for the pair, and the price at which Washington could be willing to pull off a trade.
Why not have all 4? Not like they have a QB to pay
Commanders tell teams looking for help at DE,
NO SWEAT !!
Hard to believe that Washington couldn’t see that paying four defensive lineman wasn’t a wise plan for the long term. They should have kept the two best ones and traded the others for starter-caliber players at other positions – especially linebacker.
It absolutely is. Other than QB the two most important things in football are protecting the QB and then getting to the others QB and if you can do that without blitzing that’s how you dominate.
This team is similar to the Jets.
Just need a QB.
I think the Jets are much better, but good rosters being held back by inability to get a QB.
DC needs a HC first and foremost. Ron is not very good and certainly not a D mastermind. All those 1st round picks on D and they are a below average unit year in & out.
Defense helped the Redskins … I mean, Commanders win last week. Yet the peanut gallery still thinks it’s not about defense!
Wow! They beat Atlanta. Everywhere I look, DC’s D is generally ranked mid 20’s range. And their first round CB is already benched.
Skins had 3 INTs of Desmond Ritter. First set up a Skins TD, second was in the end zone, third ended the Falcons’ last-chance drive.
Proof that football is not all about the QB.
Congrats on the L today.
True, it may not be all about the QB, but having a QB that is, at best, inconsistent, is holding the team back. Such a wasted defensive effort in a very winnable game against the Giants today.
There is a reason why QBs make the biggest salary.
There is a reason why teams go out of their way to trade for these guys.
If you have a stud QB, you are in consideration. If you don’t, the road is long and difficult. Sure a team can get lucky, but its not likely to be a consistent contender without a great QB.
Teams that are elite on defense still need to score points.
Chase young is such a waste of talent.
Young is an example of a 1st round reach. Not saying he isn’t talented, just believe he wasn’t worth the #2 slot.
GM picks sometimes indicate that ‘eye candy’ can sway buyers just like the candy racks in check out lines.
Reckon it’s why ‘fans’ have WTF reactions during draft weekend regarding the choices their team initiated. Normally it’s always 1st round picks. It’s as if the hype, of the process, minimizes objective evaluations.
I guess the question that has to be answered is: If a consensus of fan opinions agrees with the hype, does that make an evaluation objective?
Reckon that’d depend on the fans ‘research’.
Since I’m ‘retired’, was tired then got more tired, I’m too busy to spend much time investigating. How a player performs during games validates draft placement choice.
Are you serious? In that draft and in a lot of drafts a healthy Chase Young was absolutely worth the 2nd pick.
Reckon we disagree there. Wouldn’t mind if he was on my team excepting for his injuries and motor. Dude doesn’t pop with 110% every game and I’d expect that from a #2.
It so easy to make judgments hindsight. At the time he was being compared to the Bosa’s and called a generational talent and looked the part in his rookie year. He was in a bit of a sophomore slump prior to his injury and now it’s too hard to gauge if he can get back to form or will go down as a decent but not great player.