Commanders Trade Chase Young? PFF's Left-Field Idea For Fifth-Year Option Resolution

The Washington Commanders have yet to decide if they will pick up Chase Young's fifth-year option and Pro Football Focus has named Young as one of five players potentially to be traded.

The Washington Commanders are in an interesting situation with defensive end Chase Young. After coming off an ACL injury last year, Young played the season's final three games and now enters the option year of his rookie contract.

So far, Washington hasn't been too keen to extend Young to new terms, and after having Daron Payne play for his new contract (which worked out well), perhaps the Commanders do the same with Young.

However, Pro Football Focus has put forth an odd idea that sees Young as one of five players to be traded during the upcoming NFL Draft.

"This one may be a bit of a stretch, but with the fifth-year option deadline for 2020 first-round picks on May 1 rapidly approaching — the Monday after the draft — perhaps Washington will let another team make the very difficult decision of whether to fully guarantee $17.452 million for Young in 2024," Pro Football Focus writes.

"If other teams are comfortable with Young's medical situation after he missed considerable time with a knee injury, would they bring him aboard during the draft, exercise his fifth-year option and see what he offers in 2023 before entertaining an extension? Teams such as the Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans, among many others, would have to at least consider it. Now, surely Washington isn't willing to "give up" on Young this easily, but as we know, money talks, and the $17 million that would be due to Young could be seen as steep given he is coming off an ACL injury."

We know what kind of devasting talent he has, but with the Commanders already paying Jonathan Allen and Payne, with Montez Sweat and Young both due extensions next season, a decision may need to be made.

Young slowly got his feet underneath him last season, and now he can look forward to having an entire preseason to get himself as "strong as a mug", as he put it. 

Just what happens with Young's future is uncertain, but given his talent and what he could potentially become, the Commanders surely wouldn't trade him away ... or would they?

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