It has been the biggest tease of the past month by the Washington Commanders – Chase Young is coming. Oh wait, maybe not. Well . . .
The dirty truth is the Commanders don't need the 2020 second overall pick right now because the line is playing so well. And, coach Ron Rivera doesn't want to risk that chemistry.
"I think the biggest thing more so than anything else is that with the way we're playing right now," said Rivera on Monday, "and we're playing pretty well on the defensive front. The need to get him on the field hasn't been that you've got to have him out there. . . . This is one of those things that because our guys are playing well, we can get him back when he's 100 percent ready to roll. And that's the biggest thing."
OK, there's a lot to unpack. Paramount is Rivera doesn't want to make changes when things are going well and 6-1-1 recently is going very well.
Rivera needs to protect a player from himself. Young is certainly eager to play more than one year after blowing out his knee. Last season was a bad one after a great rookie year and the uncertainty is weighing on both the team and player to learn which Young will be the one going forward.
Rivera also knows Young will be judged harshly even in limited snaps. The chance to impact the game is slight and Washington doesn't need a savior. Only four games remain so Young would be a part-timer the entire way and maybe more if the team makes the postseason. So, Rivera plays the health card to give Young more time to recover and lessen exposure.
"We don't want to put him out there when he is not ready and feeling it," Rivera said. "I know he's close, I really do. And again, I think the big thing for him, more so anything else, is just continuing to do what he needs to do and we'll see how he is next week."
Tomorrow, tomorrow, I’ll love you tomorrow, but right now let's stay friends. Nobody is 100 percent in the NFL, not from the first day of their career to the last day of their lives. The sport is a wrecking ball to the body and at best most just feel aches and pains forever versus serious injuries. To wait for 100 percent is to wait for the Rapture.
But, there are reasons to play Young. Washington needs to see if he's really healthy versus guessing another eight months. Next year will be Young's fourth season and the team must start thinking about a future contract. That's a lot of money to risk while still wondering what Young can become.
The Commanders might need Young if Montez Sweat isn't ready after suffering a concussion against New York on Sunday.
And, Washington might consider trading Young over the offseason and needs to prove his health. A trade is quite unlikely, but you never know what the team must sacrifice if deciding to trade up in the draft for a quarterback. Right now, Young is the most expendable lineman.
Waiting for Young has become tiresome and a little irrelevant. But, it might be worth the wait. That's the enigma where both sides can be true and the challenge Washington faces.
Rick Snider has covered Washington sports since 1978. Follow him on Twitter: @Snide_Remarks.
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