The Washington Commanders declined defensive end Chase Young's fifth-year option, so he will have to earn a new contract next offseason. Young said he feels “night and day” different from last year, but did not want to elaborate on that when speaking with media at mandatory minicamp on Tuesday.
“Watch the film from today's practice,” Chase Young said, via Nick Shook of NFL.com.
Young said this season ahead is not much different from the past as far as his mindset goes, as he has always been trying to prove himself at the NFL level.
“Since I came in the game, I was in the game to prove myself,” Young told reporters on Tuesday, according to Shook. “So I'm not really thinking anything different. Going out there and playing my game.”
Young played in nine games in his second season in the NFL in 2021 due to a torn ACL, and he played just three games in 2022 as he struggled to come back from the injury, according to Pro Football Reference. That led to the Commanders declining his option.
Head coach Ron Rivera said that the focus is for Young to stay healthy right now.
“Well, I think the biggest thing as far as he's concerned more than anything else is just being healthy,” Ron Rivera said of Young, according to Shook. “You know, he started to get healthier by the end of the year and played for us in four games. And we just want to see him pick up where he left off. He was starting to play faster and faster and just love to see him get out there and really run around and kind of cut loose and not be tentative. And that's probably the biggest thing for him.”
It will be interesting to see how Young fares in his potential final season with the Commanders.
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