Washington Commanders Get Trade Offer For Montez Sweat; Sell At Deadline?

Washington Commanders Get Trade Offer For Montez Sweat; Sell At Deadline?

With the NFL trade deadline of Tuesday looming, the Washington Commanders may find themselves between a rock and a hard place. 

This season was viewed as a make-or-break season for Ron Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew before it began. Add in new ownership with Josh Harris and back-to-back years without a playoff appearance, Rivera and Mayhew's futures appear murkier than ever after a 3-4 start. And with a brutal schedule on the horizon that includes playoff teams and Super Bowl contenders, things may only get uglier. 

The Commanders have already fielded one offer for Montez Sweat, who is set to be a free agent after this season, per Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. Another potential target for playoff contenders is Chase Young, who is in the same situation as Sweat, though reported Washington hasn't received any offers for him yet.

Chase Young and Montez Sweat have combined for 10.5 sacks this season / © Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

If Washington opts to sell, Young and Sweat are two clear candidates to move. Young and Sweat are each on expiring contracts, and paying both would be difficult for a team that has holes to fill on both sides of the ball. 

Young and Sweat have also produced at a high clip, adding to the value the Commanders could get in a trade. Sweat has 5.5 sacks, and Young has five and is coming off of the first multi-sack game of his NFL career in Washington's 14-7 loss to the New York Giants.

Cornerback Kendall Fuller, receiver Curtis Samuel, running back Antonio Gibson and safety Kamren Curl are among the players who are on expiring deals and could interest teams.  

At 3-4 with games against the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers and two against the Dallas Cowboys, making the playoffs looks murky at best for the Commanders. They'll have a key decision to make that'll go a long way toward deciding the franchise's future. 

If they believe it's a lost cause, trading players to accumulate assets for the upcoming draft and to free up cap space may be the best move for the franchise, even if it ends up being the final nail in the coffin for Rivera and Mayhew. However, if it's up to Rivera and Mayhew, they'll likely stand pat or look to add pieces for a potential playoff run that'll likely decide their future with the team.

Washington will look to get back on track and potentially play to determine its trade deadline fate when they rematch the Eagles (6-1) at FedEx Field on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The Eagles won the first match up 34-31 in overtime on Oct. 1 at Lincoln Financial Field.