Cowboys & Chase Young: ‘Too Cheap’ to Sign Ex Washington & 49ers Rival?

The Dallas Cowboys have several position groups in need of attention either through the draft or free agency, and not the least of which is the defensive line.

FRISCO - When Washington drafted former Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end with the No. 2 overall pick in 2020, it was thought he could be the face of not just the franchise, but maybe of the league.

Chase lasted just three and a half seasons in Washington that included a Defensive Rookie of the Year award, 14 sacks, a torn ACL and just 12 games played from 2021 to 2022 due to injuries.

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The former Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year was traded to San Francisco at the trade deadline last season and now finds himself in free agency for the first time in his career. 

Is there a chance the Dallas Cowboys could bring Chase in to shore up the pass rush in 2024? Pro Football Network thinks Chase would be a good fit in Dallas. … but we see big problems and lots of nonsense here.

First, to PFF …

"Young being back in the NFC East would be excellent for his career as the New York Giants and Washington Commanders both have question marks at their tackle position," PFN wrote.

"With Mike Zimmer now at the helm of the Cowboys’ defense, he should have little problem getting as much out of Young as possible. It’s why the 24-year-old would make a lot of sense for a Dallas defense that desperately needs an edge in 2024."

OK. What about the dollars? PFF is suggesting a “one-year prove-it deal” without a number attached  But OvertheCap and Spotrac both project Young as a $13 mil guy.

Which is it? And does it matter?

The past couple of seasons, the Cowboys' defensive pass rush has relied heavily on Micah Parsons - who led the team with 14 in 2023, 13.5 in 2022, and 13 in 2021.

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Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler combined for 11.5 sacks last season, and have both joined Chase's former Washington team for next season.

The Cowboys have been quiet in free agency thus far, much to the chagrin of their fans. Along with several position groups, the defensive line appears to be one that could use some attention either from the open market or through April's NFL Draft.

But let’s be frank here: At this moment, even as Young sits on the Tier 2 shelf, not only is there a paucity of evidence that Dallas would pay him $13 mil … we can’t even convince ourselves of the “cheap” angle on the Cowboys pursuing Chase Young.