Halloween was a big day for the Washington Commanders.
They went to the trading post and swapped Montez Sweat to Chicago and Chase Young to Frisco for second and third round picks.
It is likely Chase Young will take off like a rocket in Frisco. I did not get the impression Chase wanted to be here. Some of the complaints about him letting up at the end of plays suggests that. I think he will put much different film on record in San Francisco and set personal records in sacks and pressures.
He certainly is much closer to the Super Bowl now. And so are the Niners.
Fans of the Chicago Bears seem disappointed they didn't get Chase Young but you could argue they got the more productive player in Montez Sweat. He is the consummate professional. If he doesn't produce, it is on the Bears.
So what now for the Commanders?
From recent history, we know that with James Smith-Williams and Casey Toohill Jack Del Rio's defense played better ball when Young and Sweat were not available.
You get the feeling the story of Chase Young in D.C. is the old cliche story of the Superstar versus the System. The Trophy Wife who tells her husband "You don't understand me". That Chase wasn't a lunchpail type dude and Smith-Williams and Toohill are lunchpail dudes.
A lunchpail dude follows instructions. The Superstar freelances. And both Ron Rivera and Del Rio were lunchpail dudes when they were players.
Sweat was a lunchpail dude. He was a self-starter. Self-starting is often missing in the Superstar. Unless and until the Superstar feels "understood" which for Chase is probably going to happen in Frisco. He's going to be a six-million dollar man. Bigger, stronger, faster. Hustling to the end.
But the question remains where is the pressure going to come from in JDR's defense? Well, as an aside, where was the pressure going to come from prior to this? It was nowhere near what it should have been.
I think people will like Toohill. The idea of "pursuit" used to be key when you talked defense. Toohill pursues to the end. He has caught dudes you wouldn't think he could catch. Toohill and Smith-Williams are both smart players and should satiate whatever desire the Coaches have for players who "do their jobs".
Playing Jon Allen some at End I would argue would be as effective as playing Sweat or Young. They have Ridgeway and Mathis at tackle to work with Daron Payne. They could have a D-Line that is three-quarters Crimson Tide.
My guess is the pressure will be much improved. But we will see.
