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The Washington Commanders are unlikely to reach their full potential until they have a healthy Chase Young for the majority of the season. Though, the edge rusher is heading in the right direction after being removed from the team's injury report for Sunday's matchup with the Denver Broncos.
But fans will still not get to see a fully unleashed Young. Although he will be taking the field in Week 2, the former No. 2 overall draft pick “will most likely be on a pitch count,” according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports. And so, a bit more patience will need to be extended.
Young missed last week's 20-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals, due to a neck injury (stinger) that he suffered in the preseason. The 24-year-old tore his ACL midway through the 2021-22 season and played in only three games last year. This is a crucial time for the former NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, as the Commanders declined his fifth-year option back in April.
He will surely be motivated to produce before entering the free agent market this offseason. But it may be out of his hands. A limited snap count in Denver might be the best way to ensure that a peak Chase Young suits up for Washington going forward.
Rest assured, head coach Ron Rivera knows how valuable the defensive end is to his team's winning chances. In a seemingly crowded division, and with an inexperienced quarterback leading the way, the Commanders need premium defensive playmakers to keep them in playoff contention.
Fans better just hope Young has an incident-free game against the Broncos in Week 2. The time for having modest expectations could be ending soon, though.
