The Washington Commanders shocked the NFL world early on Wednesday.
They decided not to pick up Chase Young’s fifth-year option, meaning he’ll become a free agent at the end of the season.
However, Commanders insider Nicki Jhabvala doesn’t think that necessarily means he’ll leave, explaining that HC Ron Rivera has a long track record of paying guys after having career years, just like it happened with Daron Payne.
Worth noting that Ron Rivera has a track record of paying guys after career seasons. Look no further than Daron Payne. His fifth year was exercised, but the team didn’t extend him before last season. And then he had 11.5 sacks.
Young could still get paid. https://t.co/1mzwAkZPSh
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 26, 2023
This decision might seem head-scratching from afar.
Even with the injuries, Young was an impactful player right out of the gate and the No. 2 pick just three years ago.
But from a financial standpoint, it seemed like a necessary decision.
The Commanders could extend him or Montez Sweat and place the other under the franchise tag, even if that means paying more than what they would pay originally with that $17.4 million option.
It’s also worth noting that they’ve already committed $90 million on Payne and that Jonathan Allen is set to make an average of $18 million per year, so they’ve already spent plenty of cash on that defensive line.
Sweat has been healthier than Young, so it could make sense to keep him over the former No. 2 pick if he fails to impress or make an impact in 2023.
Moreover, announcing this on the eve of the NFL Draft is kind of suspicious to those who’ve been following this league for a while.
Perhaps the Commanders will look to get younger and cheaper by taking a potential replacement for Young, all but making this decision even more reasonable.
NEXT: Fans React To Today's Chase Young News
