The Washington Commanders will be without defensive end Chase Young to start the season. Commanders head coach Ron Rivera revealed Young will miss at least the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars as he works to get back from a torn ACL, according to ESPN’s John Keim.
Rivera didn’t want to place a specific number on how many games Young may miss beyond Week 1. The 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year could start the year on the physically unable to perform list or injured reserved.
Washington placed Young on the PUP list at the start of training camp. Rivera previously said Young could take the longest to be activated among the four Commanders players placed on the PUP list.
Young tore his ACL in Week 10 of last season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Doctors did a reconstruction of his ACL in his right knee by using a graft from his left patellar tendon.
The Commanders could leave Young on the PUP list, forcing him to miss at least the first four games of the season. Young would not count towards the Commanders’ 53-man roster.
Washington also could put him on the 53-man roster following final cuts and place him on injured reserve before the season opener. Young would miss the first four games with that option as well. If Young is placed on injured reserve before being placed on the 53-man roster, he’d be forced to miss the entire season.
The third option is Washington could count him for the 53-man roster, and make him inactive for Week 1. Young would be able to practice during the week, but not play in the game.
The Commanders will look at Casey Toohill, James Smith-Williams, Efe Obada, Shaka Toney and William Bradley-King to line up opposite of Montez Sweat in Young’s absence.
