In an offseason in which the Pittsburgh Steelers have been rather aggressive, don’t expect the franchise to be ultra-aggressive and make a move for big-name pass rusher Chase Young, at least according to Steelers.com Insider Bob Labriola.
Responding to a reader Thursday morning regarding the Young speculation highlighting the Steelers as a landing spot, Labriola said “don’t believe” in the rumors regarding the former No. 2 overall pick and the connection to the Steelers. In fact, Labriola said that if there is any big-name, “splashy” signing that the Steelers make this offseason ahead of training camp, it will be one of their own players.
“If there is to be a ‘splash play’ signing, I would imagine it would be an extension for Alex Highsmith. And since you brought up the subject of ‘splash play’ signings, don’t believe the rumors circulating about Chase Young and Dalvin Cook,” Labriola wrote for Steelers.com Thursday. “Just trying to inject a bit of reality into today’s episode of ‘Asked and Answered.'”
The Young and Cook “rumors” — specifically the ones about Young — are just that: rumors.
Those rumors regarding Young sparked after the Washington Commanders declined his fifth-year option, making him a free agent after the 2023 season. Young was a high-profile prospect coming out of Ohio State, going No. 2 overall to Washington in the 2020 NFL Draft. Things got off to a great start for Young as he won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2020, finishing with 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and a touchdown on a 57-yard fumble return against the Arizona Cardinals.
He also earned a Pro Bowl nod that season.
Since 2020 though, Young has dealt with injuries, playing in just 12 games over two years and recording just 1.5 sacks. That led to the Commanders declining the fifth-year option. With a potential need at the outside linebacker position after 2023 if a Highsmith extension does not get done, the Steelers were a logical fit, in part due to the comments head coach Mike Tomlin made to Young during a game in 2020, stating that he never wanted to pick high enough to draft a player of Young’s caliber.
Though Young would certainly be a great add for the Steelers, it’s simply not happening this summer via trade. The Steelers would essentially be taking a flier on a rental player with Young having just one year left on his deal. Young is scheduled to earn a fully guaranteed base salary of $1,010,000 in 2023 in addition to a fully guaranteed roster bonus of $4,313,219. That roster bonus, however, is reportedly not due until August 5, which means that if the Commanders were to trade Young, they would likely do so before that date, so they are not on the hook for it.
If any team were to trade for Young before August 5, they would need to be prepared to pay him $5,323,219 in 2023. That would be his cap charge for 2023 as well. That’s quite an expensive amount to pay Young if he was not going to be a starter on whatever team did trade for him. The Steelers certainly wouldn’t trade for Young with those sort of earnings attached.
Not only that, the Steelers — were they to trade for him — would want to do an extension with him to ensure he’s more than just a one-year rental. The chances of that are between slim and none as the Steelers value Highsmith and want to lock up their own homegrown player, rather than taking a financial risk on a player who has had multiple injuries and hasn’t played in their system.
Put the rumors to bed: Chase Young is not going to be a Steeler in 2023, and chances of him being a Steelers at any point after that are unlikely, especially if he rebounds from his injuries and returns to his rookie-year level of play. That would lead to a lucrative contract elsewhere.
