Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young is not present at OTAs, according to a league source briefed on the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly. Defensive end Montez Sweat and offensive tackle Charles Leno Jr., are also absent, according to sources briefed on the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly. Here’s what you need to know:
- Sweat and Young are both entering the final year of their rookie contracts — Sweat will be playing on the fifth-year option, while Young had his declined a few weeks ago.
- Leno has two years left on his contract but has no guaranteed money after 2023, and the team could save $12 million against the cap by trading or releasing him after this season.
- These workouts are voluntary and plenty of players around the league decline to attend.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
What this means
The focus on Sweat and Leno’s choices won’t face the same scrutiny as Young, the player selected No. 2 in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Young previously skipped the 2021 OTA sessions, a move that some cited as a reason for his second-year struggles. The pass rusher had 1.5 sacks in nine games before suffering a significant knee injury that November. Young spent the 2022 OTA recovering. All of that played a factor in Washington declining Young’s fifth-year option for a guaranteed $17.5 million in 2024 along with Washington’s financial commitment to two other defensive linemen — tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne. Sweat, the more productive of the two ends, is also a 2024 free agent.
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Young’s future in Washington will likely come down to his 2023 production, but new ownership will bring different eyes to the scene. Perhaps the Josh Harris group, once approved by the league sees positives in the marketing angle with the charismatic player and chooses to invest in Young over Sweat. We have some time before such decisions, but skipping OTA is now part of the equation. — Standig
Required reading
- Commanders rookie camp: Eric Bieniemy’s early impact, Emmanuel Forbes tries the slot
- Which NFL players are ones to watch at offseason workouts? One pick for all 32 teams
(Photo: Geoff Burke / USA Today)