The San Francisco 49ers' acquisition of pass rusher Chase Young may prove to be a savvy move. In the final year of his rookie contract, trading for the former No. 2 overall pick only set the 49ers back a 2024 third-round draft pick (More on that later).
RELATED 49ers trade for Commanders DE Chase Young
Through seven games this season, Young has reached opposing quarterbacks five times, more than any other 49ers defender. Defensive linemen Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave, and Drake Jackson lead the team with three sacks apiece.
While the 49ers started the season hot, winning five consecutive games, the team has hit a three-game slump. Now owning a 5-3 record, San Francisco has fallen behind the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West standings. There was a sense of urgency to bolster the roster before the trade deadline.
It shouldn't surprise anyone that the 49ers made a move to add to their defensive line. The team has invested significant resources into their defensive front since head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch entered the picture in 2017. This offseason, they signed defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to a massive free-agent deal. Ahead of the season, the team made the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Nick Bosa, the highest-paid defender in NFL history.
None of that has translated into a potent pass rush this season. The 49ers collectively have 18 sacks, tied for the 18th most in the NFL.
Speaking of Bosa, he and Young were teammates at Ohio State, so San Francisco's newest defensive lineman will find a familiar face in the locker room upon his arrival.
Financially, Young's addition comes at a remarkably low cost. According to OverTheCap.com, the defensive end is only due $561,111 for the remainder of this season.
As for the compensation cost to acquire Young, that, too, is minimal. The 2024 third-round draft pick sent to Washington was a compensatory selection for losing Ran Carthon to the Tennessee Titans (who became their general manager) and DeMeco Ryans to the Houston Texans (who became their head coach).
In a hypothetical worst-case scenario, if Young ends up serving as a half-season rental and departs via free agency next year, the 49ers will likely receive a compensatory 2025 third-round pick in return.
That means the potential cost for San Francisci to add Young is just a swap of 2024 third-round compensatory pick for a 2025 one and the same round, which is truly minimal.
The Niners get DE Chase Young for a 2024 third-round comp pick and if he walks after a big finish to the season, he'll likely bring back ... a 2025 third-round comp pick.
So they essentially moved a comp pick back a year for half-a-season of Chase Young.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 31, 2023
Of course, with ample salary-cap space, the 49ers may choose to retain Young beyond this season. The team owns the most salary-cap space in the NFL, nearly $40 million, per OverTheCap.com. The plan is to have much of that sum carry over into next season, so the money should be available, even with the need to spend elsewhere.
The 49ers made a calculated move, risking very little to add Young to a defensive line that could end up being formidable in the latter half of the season. And Young will benefit from the guidance of respected defensive line coach Kris Kocurek.