Young was the 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year after a stellar first season in the league where he wreaked havoc on quarterbacks alongside fellow defensive end Montez Sweat, whom Washington also traded on Tuesday. This time, his partnership will be a reunion with fellow standout edge rusher Nick Bosa, who was teammates with Young at Ohio State. The two combined for 26.5 sacks over the two seasons they overlapped for the Buckeyes.
However, it’s not clear exactly how long this second go-around will ultimately last. Young is up for a new contract at the end of this season, which will likely be a massive payday for one of the league’s top defensive players. Should the Niners let him go, they’d be awarded a compensatory third-round pick. Given that that’s exactly what it took to get Young in the first place, the temptation to move on from the player could be pretty strong.
Young’s stellar rookie season was followed up with a torn ACL the next year. He’s played just 12 games over the past two seasons, including just three last year. This year, though, he’s been on pace to surpass his output from 2020, with five sacks in just seven games. Bosa, meanwhile, is two behind with an extra game played. If the Niners’ defense is going to return to its former glory after the bye week, Young’s production will need to continue, and if that happens, it’ll open up opportunities for Bosa to show why he was worth the massive contract the Niners gave him this offseason.