Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young reported to the team’s facility Tuesday for this week’s session of voluntary offseason workouts, a team official said.
The 23-year-old missed the previous week because he was in Colorado, working with a trainer to rehab his knee injury.
Young’s attendance — or lack thereof — at the sessions has become a main point of focus ever since he skipped last year’s voluntary organized team activities to film commercials.
The defensive end defended the decision — “I was making money, baby!” he said, also noting that he continued to work out on his own — but coach Ron Rivera had said he expected Young to be in Ashburn for OTAs. That didn’t happen last week — when team drills could be practiced for the first time — though Rivera said he expected Young to arrive within a few weeks.
Young, though, wouldn’t have been able to participate in team drills even if he had shown up, anyway. The former defensive rookie of the year is coming off a torn ACL that cut his season short after nine games. The injury put an end to a disappointing campaign from Young, who had only recorded 1½ sacks in 2021.
“For Chase, it was a little bit of an awakening,” Rivera said in March, “a bit of a realization.”
Young told reporters in January that he expected to be back by training camp. He has also said over the offseason that he expects to be available Week 1.
Young was one of four absences last week for Washington. Star wide receiver Terry McLaurin skipped the sessions because of a contract dispute, while defensive end Montez Sweat (personal reason) and Cam Sims (birth of a child) also did not attend. A team spokesperson said Sweat and Sims both returned Tuesday in addition to Young.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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