Why Commanders Should Pick Up Chase Young's Fifth-Year Option

Chase Young will find out if the Washington Commanders have opted in to his fifth-year option on May 2.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 21, 2023

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Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders are hoping to see the 2020 version of Chase Young return in 2023.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft was named Defensive Rookie of the Year after recording 44 tackles, forcing four fumbles and sacking the quarterback 7.5 times.

Since then, Young has been plagued by injuries and has managed just 31 tackles, two forced fumbles and 1.5 sacks ... making his decision to accept or decline his fifth-year option a difficult one.

Head coach Ron Rivera told reporters Thursday that the team will wait until May 2 to decide and announce Young's fate, and there are many reasons why the Commanders should opt in to his fifth year.

The fifth-year option is worth around $17 million, which is the cheapest the Commanders will be able to get for his services in 2024.

But most importantly, the talent Young showcased in his rookie season is worth it if he can return to form.

Young played at a Pro Bowl level in 2020 and would be worth the hefty price tag if he can continue the pace. While he hasn't been able to get back to it, injuries have plagued him. Now fully healthy, Young can prove again why he was drafted No. 2 and why he is worth the expensive fifth-year option.

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Published Apr 21, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.