SANTA CLARA — Chase Young played an astonishing 75 snaps in Washington’s only win over its past six games.
Young had never played so many snaps in a game until that Oct. 15 victory at Atlanta, and he did so on a rebuilt right knee that was severely injured two years ago.
All of which is to say: Young appears healthy enough to not only rush quarterbacks, but play as a full-time defensive end and make an impact for the 49ers, who agreed to a trade for him Tuesday.
“I’m like you, I kept turning on the tape — 75, 64, those are a lot of snaps. The proof is what’s translating on the field,” general manager John Lynch said on a Wednesday morning conference call. “He’s been playing a lot, and looking really good.
“There’s preliminary medical stuff where they send medical files, then the last step is flying out here today to do the actual physical,” Lynch added. “We hope that all goes well, but he sure looks healthy based on what he’s been doing on the field.”
At 5 p.m. Wednesday, the 49ers officially announced the trade, signaling that Young passed that physical exam. The Commanders will receive a 2024 compensatory third-round pick in return.
About two hours earlier, he posted Instagram videos of his debut at the 49ers facility and walked onto his new home field, where he won as a Washington rookie in 2020 and returned a fumble for his lone career touchdown.
Young tore his anterior cruciate ligament and patellar tendon in a Nov. 14, 2021 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He missed the second half of that season, then all but the final three games of the 2022 season, with his comeback starting against the 49ers in a Christmas Eve loss at Levi’s Stadium.
This season, after missing the opener with a neck issue, Young has five sacks, nine quarterback hits and 15 tackles while playing 84 percent of the defensive snaps. His game-by-game snap count: 47, 54, 63, 57, 75, 61, 50.
Nick Bosa, Young’s teammate at Ohio State five years ago, has three sacks and an NFL-high 19 quarterback hits. He’s appeared in 79 percent of the 49ers’ defensive snaps, and he never in his career has played more than 68 snaps, a total he matched in the Oct. 15 loss at Cleveland.
The 49ers (5-3) are on their bye week, having lost their third straight game Sunday, 31-17 to the Cincinnati Bengals. Bosa played all 63 defensive snaps that game as the 49ers tried to reignite a pass rush that, three weeks earlier, Lynch saw encouraging signs from in a rout of the Dallas Cowboys, their last victory.
“Hopefully Chase can give us a lift the rest of the way,” Lynch added. “We needed a little lift after this recent stretch.”
Lynch said he touched base two weeks ago with Washington counterpart Martin Mayhew, a former 49ers executive, and gauged Young’s availability. Mayhew also mentioned that fellow defensive lineman Montez Sweat would be available; Sweat was dealt to Chicago on Tuesday for a second-round pick.
About 90 minutes before the NFL trade deadline, the 49ers landed Young.
“It was fairly late in the game. This wasn’t something I went to bed Monday night knowing we’d do this deal,” Lynch said. “I had this feeling going to bed, I didn’t sleep very well, that nothing would come to fruition. The more people do these (trades), the more compensation is getting higher and higher.”
The 49ers’ trade last year for McCaffrey meant parting with four draft picks — 2023 second-, third- and fourth-rounders, plus a 2024 fifth-rounder. McCaffrey has matched an NFL record by scoring in the 49ers’ past 17 games, playoffs included. His contract came with three remaining seasons, and $12 million base salaries await over the next two seasons.
“We got spoiled last year getting Christian, not only a great player but a player with years to come (on his contract). That’s more attractive than a player on an expiring deal.”
Young (6-foot-5, 264 pounds) is in the final year of his rookie contract after the Commanders failed to exercise his fifth-year option. Young’s prorated salary will cost the 49ers just $561,000 for the remainder of this season. He has 14 career sacks in 34 games.
At Ohio State, Bosa and Young played together in 2017 and the first two games of the 2018 season, from which Bosa bowed out with a core muscle injury. They combined for five sacks against Rutgers in their final game together, a 52-3 win at Ohio State.
The 49ers are averaging 2.25 sacks per game, with Bosa and Javon Hargrave each accounting for just three of the team’s 18 sacks. Bosa ended his training camp holdout upon landing a record contract (five years, $170 million) a few days before the season opener, and Hargrave defected from the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency (three years, $39 million).
The 49ers’ philosophy, Lynch reiterated, is to invest heavily in the defensive front. That unit includes first-round talent now in Young, Bosa, Arik Armstead, Javon Kinlaw and Randy Gregory, the latter of whom was acquired via an Oct. 6 trade from Denver.
“We put a lot of resources there. Those guys need to be not just good,” Lynch said. “They need to be really good, dominant and wreak havoc. I feel like it’s on its way. That takes everybody.”
The low-cost deal, combined with the potential boost Young offers for their No. 1 unit, swayed the 49ers to focus on adding a defensive line rather than say cornerback or offensive line.
“That was the deal that made the most sense for us,” Lynch added.
More help could come off the 49ers’ injury lists. Cornerbacks Sam Womack (knee) and rookie Darrell Luter Jr. (knee), along with wide receiver Danny Gray (shoulder), could soon have their three-week practice windows open as the 49ers weigh whether to activate them to the 53-man roster, and which positions have room. “At some point we’ve got to see what they can provide us,” Lynch said.