Chase Young Injury: Why Washington's Edge is Still Far From Full Recovery

Washington placed third-year defensive end Chase Young on the reserve/PUP list in late August and he is expected to miss more than four games while recovering from a torn right ACL.

Based on recent video, the Pro Football Docs have renewed and significant worry that Young will be limited until the second half of the 2022 season especially, coming off of the left side upon return.

In a short clip of Young at the recent Ohio State game, he has a significant limp on his right leg. That suggests to the Pro Football Docs that he still has a ways to go in his recovery.

Chase Young Injury Update

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said Young remains without a timeline for return, 

At this point Young is likely months, not weeks, away from the field, according to the Pro Football Docs. 

Week 8 is likely a realistic target for Young to begin playing full snaps and looking healthier on his right leg. That would be nearly a year after his injury on Nov. 14, 2021.

While ACL recoveries generally take 9-12 months, every process is different and Rivera has said repeatedly that Young's is more complicated than Logan Thomas'. This is partly because his reconstruction reportedly involved a graft from his left patellar tendon, meaning he has had to regain strength in both knees.

Young has somewhat underperformed in his first two seasons since going No. 2 overall, notching 70 combined tackles, 13 TFL, 9 sacks, and 6 forced fumbles in 24 games. 

He won the DRoY award in 2020 but had a disappointing 2021 campaign even before the injury, posting only 1.5 sacks in 9 games and a PFF grade of 75.1.