The San Francisco 49ers have swooped in to make the most significant move of deadline day by acquiring pass rusher Chase Young from the Washington Commanders, as Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported. San Francisco is sending a 2024 third-round compensatory pick to Washington, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
The Commanders have now traded both of its starting defensive ends today. Washington dealt Montez Sweat to the Chicago Bears for a second-rounder earlier this afternoon.
49ers Acquire Chase Young From the Commanders
The 49ers now have the most terrifying defensive front in the NFL. No team has a better starting four than Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave, Arik Armstead, and Young, while San Francisco also boasts former early-round picks Drake Jackson and Javon Kinlaw and another trade acquisition in Randy Gregory.
General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan haven’t been afraid to take big swings at the deadline. Last season, the 49ers’ decision-makers sent a package of picks to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for Christian McCaffrey.
Young didn’t cost quite as much as CMC. The former No. 2 overall pick has had trouble staying healthy at the NFL level and hasn’t been able to post much of a track record until this season.
The #Commanders are trading DE Chase Young to the #49ers for a 3rd-round pick, per @RapSheet. 🤯
The Nick Bosa and Chase Young duo is a SCARY sight! 👻
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365)
He’s playing the best football of his career in 2023. Young ranks eighth in pressures and 11th in pass-rush win rate among edge defenders. Now, he gets to work with the 49ers’ Kris Kocurek, widely considered the best defensive line coach in the league.
Washington declined Young’s fifth-year option, so he will be a free agent next spring. The 49ers should have roughly $40 million in 2024 cap space after rolling over this year’s unused funds, and they’ll have Brock Purdy on a seventh-round rookie contract for the next two seasons.
MORE: 2023 NFL Trade Deadline — Live Grading of Every Trade
San Francisco has the means to extend Young, but he also makes sense as a rental. If he stays healthy and lands a significant free agent contract, the 49ers will likely get a third-round compensatory pick in 2025. In that scenario, San Fran would get a half-season of Young’s production for the price of delaying a third-round selection by one year.
Why Did the Commanders Trade Chase Young?
It seems like new owner Josh Harris is already calling the shots in Washington. Commanders general manager Martin Mayhew and head coach Ron Rivera are likely trying to save their jobs — it’s hard to imagine they were pushing to trade Sweat and Young.
While it’s surprising that Washington moved both pass rushers, it feels like the club’s new ownership group is trying to clear the decks.
The Commanders should have over $100 million in 2024 cap space after rolling over their 2023 remainder. They’ll also own five picks in the top 100 in next year’s draft, with another selection at No. 108.
Here’s a phrase never uttered during the Daniel Snyder era: The Commanders’ head-coaching job is beginning to look pretty alluring.