NFL Tread Deadline action: Busy Washington sends Chase Young to 49ers

Not counting the upcoming presidential elections, major changes are afoot in Washington where the new ownership of the NFL Commanders obviously wants to rebuild for the future.

After trading defensive end Montez Sweat to the Chicago Bears on Monday, the Commanders sent pass rusher Chase Young, their 2020 No. 2 overall draft pick, to the 49ers as the clock ticked down on the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline Tuesday.

After three consecutive losses, the 49ers are 5-3 and one game behind Seattle in the NFC West. San Francisco  will send a third round 2024 draft pick to Washington. The Bears will send a No. 2 draft pick to the Commanders for Sweat.

Cutting ties with two prized pass rushers certainly signals a change in direction for a franchise that may soon be overhauled from top to bottom. Such aggressive moves shine new light on rumors that Washington is interested in hiring University of Michigan’s troubled but successful head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Hold that thought. Perhaps a story for another day.

Young would have been a free agent after the season. Washington declined to pick up his fifth-year option in the offseason. It would have counted $17.452 million against the 2024 salary cap, but also would have been guaranteed money.

The 49ers are projected to get a compensatory third-round pick for offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey and another compensatory third-round pick for the losses of executive Ran Carthon (to Tennessee) and coach DeMeco Ryans (to Houston), with one of those third-rounders being sent to Washington in exchange for Young, sources confirmed to The Sports Xchange.

Because there were lingering concerns about Young's right knee -- he tore the ACL and ruptured his patellar tendon in 2021 -- Washington was hesitant to make a commitment. Commanders coach Ron Rivera also said in the offseason that he hoped it would serve as motivation for Young to have a stronger season.

After he missed the opener with a neck injury, Young made five sacks in seven games. In 34 games over his four seasons with Washington, Young collected 14 sacks, 90 tackles and 6 forced fumbles (3 recoveries). Through eight games, Sweat has 6.5 sacks, bringing his career total to 35.5 over five seasons.

There were eight trades in all during this week’s countdown to the deadline. Here is information on them in a story that is still growing:

--Seeking depth after losing quarterback Kirk Cousins to a torn Achilles, the Minnesota Vikings acquired Joshua Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals.

Pending Dobbs passing a physical, the Vikings will acquire him and a conditional seven-round pick in the 2024 draft for a 2024 sixth-round pick. The conditional pick can become a sixth-round selection based on Dobbs' playing time, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Rookie Jaren Hall from BYU was the only healthy quarterback on the Vikings’ 53-man roster with backup Nick Mullens on injured reserve for at least one more week (back injury). Veteran Sean Mannion has been on their practice squad since Oct. 11.

With Kyler Murray sidelined after tearing his ACL last season, Dobbs started the Cardinals' first eight games and has thrown for 1,569 yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. The Cardinals are 1-7 this season.

--Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes announced his team traded for Cleveland Browns receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick.

For Peoples-Jones, who is from Detroit, it's a homecoming, as the Lions were looking to add depth after veteran receiver Marvin Jones Jr. recently stepped away to "take care of personal family matters."

"He brings versatility. He's a big guy, he's got good contested catch skills, he can play outside, he can play inside," Holmes said. "He's a very smart player, he's been very, very durable. He fits everything that we're about. So, I think he'll fit in just fine. He's another flavor that we're adding to our mix. So, it's a lot of things that he can do for us."

--The Green Bay Packers sent veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas to the Buffalo Bills shortly before the trade deadline.

Douglas was among the most vocal Packers players when it came to expressing frustration over their struggles on the way to the 2-5 start.

"We're saying s--- but until we actually do the s---, it don't really matter," Douglas said after Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings. "I'm thinking about it like, bro, I've never been a loser in my life. These last two years have been f---ing loser. That s--- ain't me. I don't think that s---'s us. We've got to do something, you know what I mean?"