At 3-4, the Commanders could be sellers ahead of the 2023 NFL trade deadline on Oct. 31. If that's the case, they should have takers for pass rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat, according to CBS Sports HQ Senior NFL insider Josina Anderson.
Several different teams have interest in trading for either Sweat or Young, Anderson reported Wednesday, and not only that, but the clubs are open to extending the veterans with long-term contracts. Both pass rushers are scheduled to be 2024 free agents.
Sweat, who was drafted No. 26 overall in 2019, has been the more productive of the two, totaling 34.5 sacks and 84 quarterback hits in four and a half seasons for Washington. One team has already made an offer for the Mississippi State product, per The Washington Post, though Sweat figures to command a hefty raise beyond 2023 thanks to his steady production off the edge.
Young entered the NFL with a bigger name, going No. 2 overall out of Ohio State in 2020. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year with a 7.5-sack Pro Bowl debut, but lingering knee issues limited him to just 12 games between 2021-22. He's returned to action this season with five sacks in six game appearances, but Washington declined his fifth-year option prior to the season.
One reason Washington could look to unload one or both of the pass rushers is that the Commanders already have lucrative money tied up to fellow defensive linemen Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, both of whom landed long-term deals in recent years.
