What grades did the Commanders receive after trading Chase Young and Montez Sweat?

The Commanders got an A-grade for the Sweat trade (see below) because the return is virtually guaranteed to be a top-40 pick, but they gave up Young for a pick in the neighborhood of No. 100. This wasn’t an unpredictable price, as league executives were legitimately concerned about Young’s health and durability. He missed 22 games from 2021-22.

On a grander scale, this was a sign the Commanders are committing to a full rebuild under new ownership. While there’s nothing wrong with being realistic and starting over, they’ve got to be prepared for the message that sends to coach Ron Rivera and the players who remain on the roster.

Young’s injury history coupled with his looming free agent status probably hurt the Commanders in trying to get the most amount of capital for him, but this does seem a bit light. Really, they just moved the compensatory pick in 2025 they would have received for letting him walk in free agency this coming offseason a year earlier with this trade. Washington seems to be entering a full rebuild, so gaining assets is the objective and they got one with this trade of Young to San Francisco. That said, Young is still only 24 years old and the team did have the ability to place the franchise tag on him this offseason. At this price, I may have just hung onto him to see if he can be a building block going forward under the tag in 2024 and simply recoup the compensatory pick later if he proves not to be.

When it comes to the Commanders’ side of things, this is nice compensation for a player who may have been on his way out of town anyway. With Sweat gone, all eyes now turn to former No. 2 overall pick Chase Young, who is also on an expiring deal.

It was logical the Commanders would part with Young or Montez Sweat, but trading both felt like a surprise. Young’s production this season indicated he was fully back to being the disruptor we saw early in his career. Getting less for the former Defensive Rookie of the Year than they did for Sweat earlier in the day suggests perhaps they didn’t view Young as a long-term option. Now both are out the door for two Day 2 draft picks. It would have cost Washington the franchise tag in 2024 or a significant long-term contract to keep Young, but edge rushers of his caliber don’t grow on trees. This pair of moves leaves Washington thin at a premier position.

While I like the Sweat trade (more on that later), jettisoning Young for what could be a late third-rounder is less provocative. One thing seems clear as we exit the trade window: The Commanders are a team in transition, planning for the future. Washington made its first big moves of the Josh Harris era. They likely won’t be the last in the coming months.

Again, it was a bit surprising that Washington chose to deal both Young and Sweat, even if the Commanders already have a boatload of cash invested up front for Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne. The moves definitely hinder their chances of burrowing back into the playoff race. But they do boost the draft coffers and free up future flexibility to bolster other areas of need — like the offensive line. In terms of Sweat specifically, a high second-round pick is excellent compensation for a player who apparently didn’t fit the long-term plans. This is the type of transaction forward-thinking clubs should make at the deadline.

Did Washington go too far in its reset? While it’s certainly admirable that the franchise realized it needs to train its focus on the future, Young was a potential building block who still could have been an important contributor by the time any turnaround really takes off. With Montez Sweat already having been traded to the Bears and potentially returning a top-40 pick, the Commanders had the option of giving Young the franchise tag if it was in a bind with negotiations with him this offseason. The third-round pick, meanwhile, feels like a fairly modest reward for a player of Young’s ability and accomplishment. Washington’s defense is now far too overly invested in its defensive interior with barely any threat on the edge. Given the hit rate for top defensive end prospects, setting that straight will likely involve top draft picks – and those assets will be needed to sort out the issues at quarterback and offensive line, which were perhaps the biggest catalysts for this rebuild.

It was unclear whether Ron Rivera and Co. could actually stomach moving one of the team’s key pieces with the team having lost five of its last six contests, but this was the sensible long-term play – even if it’s uncertain who will be at the helm when the payoff hits. Re-signing Sweat likely wasn’t in the cards for Commanders, who already have doled out massive contracts to defensive tackles Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen and have a decision to make on whether to franchise tag or extend Chase Young. With this swap, Washington lands what should be an early second-rounder, a clear improvement and one year jump on the compensatory pick the franchise would have received had Sweat walked after this season. It might be hard for the current team to stomach this, but the value here was too good to pass up.

The only person in Washington who doesn’t benefit from this trade is Ron Rivera. But he might be out of a job in a couple of months anyway.

The Commanders are 3-5 at the midway point of the season and still just a game out of the seventh seed in the NFC. But they need a hard reset — and seem to understand that.

Sweat and Chase Young both were being shopped, and the Commanders were able to get the former’s salary off their books and get a better (and more immediate) pick than if they had let Sweat play out the string and let him walk in free agency.

One final thought, however: It’s much easier to get rid of problems than it is to find solutions. The hard work for whoever it’ll be making the decisions in D.C. next year begins soon.

“On one hand, it makes sense for the Commanders to shift resources into the future. It’s a recognition of where the team is and the value that picks can bring via cost-controlled young players with upside. On the other hand, Young could have been a building block for this team.”

Of course, the 49ers were going to make a big trade at the deadline. Addressing a major need at cornerback would’ve been ideal if it came down to one or the other, but it’s tough to argue with this move. Young reunites with former Ohio State teammate Nick Bosa to bolster an already-lethal 49ers pass rush. The 2020 No. 2 overall pick appears to be hitting his stride after some injury issues, having racked up five sacks and 38 pressures in six games this season with Washington, according to PFF. He may only be a rental, but getting this kind of talent for a late third-round pick is a steal – especially when you consider the return in the other trade the Commanders made Tuesday.

Sweat is a supremely gifted defensive end who doesn’t get nearly the love he deserves league-wide. That’s exactly the kind of player Chicago has been looking for up front, so the fit makes sense in that regard. But the Bears once again becoming a surprise buyer at the deadline, just like they did when trading the eventual No. 32 pick for Chase Claypool last year, makes this an odd move. An early second-round pick is a big price to pay for the right to give a player top-of-the-market money before he hits free agency. When you consider that the pick will likely be 60-plus slots higher than the one the 49ers gave up to get Young, it’s fair to question what exactly the Bears are thinking here. It’s a strong return from the Commanders’ perspective, but trading two Pro Bowl talents for a pair of Day 2 draft picks isn’t ideal.