The Washington Commanders’ defense will enter the 2022 NFL season without one of their best players. Pro Bowl defensive end Chase Young was placed on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform List on Tuesday, which means that he will be out for at least the first four weeks of the campaign.
Chase is currently recovering from a torn ACL and was on the active/PUP list to start the training camp. By moving him to reserve/PUP, the Commanders gained an extra spot on the roster ahead of upcoming roster cuts.
Young suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee last season in Week 10 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He underwent reconstructive surgery shortly after, and while the former Defensive Rookie of the Year has been progressing well in his recovery, the Commanders are still unsure when he could return to full action.
“As we go through this, it’s hard to predict on recovery time,” head coach Ron Rivera told reporters on Tuesday. “This injury is a little bit more severe than the average one is, and because of that, the timeline is a little bit longer. What is that timeline? I can’t tell you.”
Chase Young entered the NFL in 2020 as the Commanders’ second overall pick and immediately dazzled the league with 42 tackles, 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and one defensive touchdown. He was expected to make an even bigger impact in his sophomore year, but the slow start of the campaign and the injury prevented him from doing so.
