Chase Young plays more snaps than his coaches planned in his 2022 debut

Chase Young made his 2022 debut in the Commanders 37-20 loss against the San Francisco 49ers. Young did not stuff the stat sheet in his first game back, accumulating just two tackles and a pass deflection, but he felt good and appeared to be a more instinctive player on the field as the game moved along.

Young played 30 snaps on Sunday, or 58% of the defensive plays against San Francisco. Before the game, Rivera expected Young to be on a snap count, playing half the amount he ultimately ended up playing. However, Young felt good, and his presence on the defensive line was a much-welcomed boost to the unit.

“Yeah, that was my choice,” Young said on playing 30 defensive snaps. “I felt good, I told them before the game that’s a good count, but I feel good; I’m out there. I feel good about myself, coming back, I been restless. It felt good being out there running around with Big [Daron] Payne, Sweat, and Jon [Allen]. The guys.”

Some in the fan base criticized him and his value to the team while he recovered physically and mentally from a significant knee injury. However, The Commanders were always better off with Chase Young than without him. Washington needs their own Nick Bosa, T.J. Watt, Von Miller, or Myles Garrett. Someone who has the potential to disrupt plays, force turnovers, and get to the quarterback in less than three seconds. The Commanders need a game-changer on the edge, and hearing that Young is feeling good, backed up by the number of snaps he played, is an excellent sign moving forward.

Listen to the latest Hogs Haven Podcast, where we discuss the quarterback situation, Chase Young, the current playoff picture, and more.