Some really good news for the Commanders at this week’s mandatory workouts, Chase Young, Montez Sweat and Charles Leno are back.
Of course, Young was asked about the Commanders not picking up his 5th-year option. But Young handled it well with a succinct answer.
Chase Young on the Commanders declining his fifth-year option: pic.twitter.com/vc3Vg688ri
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) June 6, 2023
It was clearly a business decision that the Commanders made, and Young wants to work out and not discuss it any further.
All three were kept out of some reps as Commanders coaches and trainers did not know where they were physically.
It was reported on Twitter by Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post that “Ron Rivera said they will ramp up Chase Young, Montez Sweat and Charles Leno to get a feel for where they’re at physically before throwing them in there fully. The three trained elsewhere during voluntary OTAs.”
Sweat has developed into a good run defender, and with NFL pass rushers not growing on trees, it is important for Sweat to have a good year this 2023 season.
Both Young and Sweat are both represented by the same agency and thus it is not out of the question that they were both advised that it would not be wise to work out in team situations where injuries sometimes occur, placing the player in jeopardy if he has no contract beyond the next season.
It is good to also see Leno back in camp workouts. The 2022 offensive line play trended downward. One fan this week called Leno “a turnstile,” and another said that Leno was “horrible and plays the most important position of the offensive line.”
Washington drafted Braeden Daniels 118th overall (offensive tackle, Utah), but most analysts feel Daniels is too light and needs more experience and mass gained before he could unseat the veteran Leno for the job.
The Commanders having re-signed both starting defensive tackles (Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne), speculation is already rising the Commanders may wait and see what type of seasons the defensive ends produce and determine which, if either (Young, Sweat), they will re-sign.
The Commanders drafted defensive ends K.J. Henry (137) and Andre Jones (233) in the latest NFL draft. If these two put any pressure on out there, we can only hope it is the pressure that results in urgency for both Sweat and Young this summer.
