Chase Young trotted onto the field for 11 on 11 drills on Tuesday, a bulky brace on his right knee serving as a reminder of a blown knee nearly two years ago. The past seems like forever, but the future looks even closer.
The Washington Commanders' defensive end slipped past the line before pulling up before the passer during the minicamp’s non-contact drills. The real test wasn’t hitting the quarterback. It was just returning to the field once more.
“I’m ready to go,” Young said. “It feels good running around.”
It has been a long recovery for the second overall choice in the 2020 NFL Draft. He missed 14 months with a knee injury before managing five tackles over the final three games last season. It wasn’t enough to convince the Commanders to pick up Young’s fifth-year option, though, meaning he'll be a free agent after this season.
Young is on a show-me deal, the final season of his original contract now becoming a rookie test of sorts. Washington wants to see him healthy and then contribute before committing big money. The Commanders want to see Young embrace football; show it’s important to him.
Young skipped the voluntary team workouts just like in previous years to work out individually. He gave a checklist of “explosive work, biometrics . . .” of his recent workouts before conceding it felt good lining up with teammates that included a fellow defensive end entering the final year of his contract Montez Sweat, who also skipped voluntary OTAs.
“Night and day,” said Young versus last season. “Confidence, strength, everything. I felt like myself today. You don’t know until you get on the field. I felt pretty explosive out there.”
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Said head coach Ron Rivera: “I think the biggest thing as far as he's concerned more than anything else is just being healthy. You know, he started to get healthier by the end of the year and played for us in [three] 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 a loose and not be tentative. And that's probably the biggest thing for him.”
Of course, Young returned with the regulars even if it was just a smattering of plays. Rivera didn’t hesitate when saying Young and Sweat would start this season.
“Absolutely,” Rivera said. “The big thing, more than anything else is, [practices have] been strictly voluntary and you don't reward guys and take things away for guys for not being around. These guys are going to get their reps.
“One thing we are gonna do is we're gonna be smart. We're not just gonna throw 'em out there right away just because we don't know what speed they've been working at. And that's the thing you have to be careful of because they're going to go from zero to 60 very quickly because they want to get in there. There's going to be a lot of energy and you really do have to be smart. So, we're not gonna come out and, you know, if there's 60 reps expect him to take 50 or 40 of them. We got to get them and see where they are.”
Follow Rick Snider on Twitter: @Snide_Remarks
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