Washington Commanders news: Will Chase Young get fifth-year option picked? Ron Rivera comes clean on star DE

One of the Washington Commanders' most important pieces still faces an uncertain future.

Ever since he was drafted second overall in 2020, Chase Young has only 12 games out of a possible 50 under his belt, starting all but one of them. This can be attributed to a devastating knee injury he sustained in 2021, which kept him off the field until the last three weeks of 2022.

It may also be a reason why the franchise is reluctant to keep him around after his rookie contract, even if for just one more year.

Speaking to the Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala, Commanders head coach Ron Rivera touched upon the team giving the defensive end his fifth-year option:

"That's the thing that will drive a big part of the conversation. As we continue to work through this and talk about it, it will be about seeing him and watching him. Again, we get started April 17, so we'll continue to work through these things -- talk to the doctors, talk to the trainers, strength and medical -- and just kind of get a feel for where he is. Then we'll be able to make a decision and we'll go from there."

Ron Rivera, on how much the health of Chase Young's knee factors into the team's decision with his fifth-year option: https://t.co/AiNISd5TUQ

During last week's league meetings, Rivera also indicated that the impending sale of the franchise could also impact Young's contract situation, calling it "a very delicate situation".

Ron Rivera said the Commanders ownership uncertainty is "a little bit" frustrating and "a very delicate situation". He is proceeding as normal, but he knows that a new owner could come in soon and change everything -- including whether they pursue a veteran QB at some point.

Like all other teams, the Commanders have until May 2 to decide whether Young will stay beyond 2023. Furthermore, the sooner it happens the better for fans, as they have been waiting for another chance to see the 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year and one-time Pro Bowler at the peak of his game.

How much has Chase Young earned with the Washington Commanders?

Chase Young is nearing the end of his first deal in Washington (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

After a highly-decorated collegiate career at Ohio State that was highlighted by a Big 10 Male Athlete of the Year Award, Chase Young signed his rookie-scale contract in 2020 for $34.56 million. His career earnings are broken down as follows (per Spotrac):

YEAR	AGE	BASE SALARY	SIGNING	CAP HIT	DEAD CAP	YEARLY CASH
2020	21	$610,000	$5,674,290	$6,284,290	$34,563,594	$23,307,160($23,307,160)
2021	22	$2,181,072	$5,674,290	$7,855,362	$28,279,304	$2,181,072($25,488,232)
2022	23	$3,752,145	$5,674,290	$9,426,435	$20,423,942	$3,752,145($29,240,377)
2023	24	$5,323,217	$5,674,290	$10,997,507	$10,997,507	$5,323,217($34,563,594)
2024 (if invoked)	25	$17,452,000	-	$17,452,000	-	$17,452,000($52,015,594)

Assuming he receives the fifth-year option in 2024, and unless he is franchise-tagged, Young will become a free agent the following year, allowing him to freely negotiate with other teams. However, it will all likely depend on how the Washington Commanders' ownership situation plays out, as there is also a chance that he may be traded before his rookie deal ends.