Ian Rapoport says Washington Commanders do not want to trade Chase Young

While 2020 No. 1 pick Joe Burrow is waiting on his likely historic contract extension, the No. 2 pick in that draft, Chase Young, is uncertain whether he’ll be a Commander for the foreseeable future. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Young’s long-term future with the club is very murky and could be cause for the team to go ahead and trade him before potentially losing him to free agency.

He joined the Pat McAfee Show this week to explain the dynamic at this moment between Washington and its former top pick.

“I’ve seen the questions, at least. And you know, if a player is not going to have, let’s say, a long-term future with the team, then trades always come up, right? That question always comes up,” said Rapoport, before revealing that teams have asked him personally if the young EDGE defender is on the market. However, he’s not so sure that the Commanders are ready to trade him just yet.

“I did have a couple of teams ask me around the time — a little before the draft like, ‘Hey, you know, do you think Chase could be available?’ I don’t get the sense Washington wants to trade him now, even though they didn’t pick up the fifth-year option.”

Rapoport then went on to explain Young’s perceived value and why his performance (and health) this coming fall is so important to his future contract and who it will be with. Some folks may say he should sit out, but Rapoport thinks he can help his value tremendously by playing.

“He is a very good player when healthy. And I think for him, being healthy and going out and showing you can do it probably makes more sense than anything. Like, if Washington is — I think they’re gonna be pretty good. But if they’re not good by the trade deadline, he’s not under contract for the next year. Then like he’s probably the guy we’re going to be talking about in October, but I think he’d like to come out, be healthy and prove he is awesome again.”