SANTA CLARA — Chase Young heard the speculation, so the defensive end knew he could be traded from the Washington Commanders last week.
And what was his reaction when it actually happened?
“I wasn’t mad,” said Young with a laugh.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The 49ers acquired Young last week from Washington for a special compensatory pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He traveled to the Bay Area on Wednesday and passed a physical to make the trade official.
Young appears to be completely healthy nearly two years removed from the torn ACL that derailed the early part of his NFL career after being named as the league's Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Young had five sacks in seven games this season with the Commanders after registering just 1.5 sacks in 12 games over the previous two seasons.
San Francisco 49ers
Young communicated regularly with 49ers defensive end and former Ohio State teammate Nick Bosa, who dealt with his own ACL tear in his second NFL season.
Bosa came back in 2021 to record 15.5 sacks.
Last season, Bosa led the league with 18.5 sacks and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
General manager John Lynch made the deal for Young to give the 49ers a boost toward the franchise’s goal of winning the Super Bowl.
Young said he immediately sensed the improvement in the standings, moving from the dysfunction of the Commanders organization to the 49ers. He took part in his first practice with the 49ers on Monday, then met with the local media for the first time.
“Just the culture, the vibe, is a lot different,” he said. “I definitely know I’m in the building with winners.”
Young said he considers Bosa a big brother. They overlapped for two seasons at Ohio State.
In 2017, Bosa registered 16.0 sacks, while Young had 3.5 sacks as a sophomore.
The next season, Young’s game took a huge leap with 10.5 sacks, but Bosa’s season was over after just three games.
Bosa was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft, while Young parlayed his 16.5-sack season into becoming Washington’s No. 2 overall pick in 2020.
Young said it was approximately five minutes after he’d been informed of the trade that he got a call from Bosa, who began the conversation with, “Bro.”
“It was a good moment,” Young said. “Even in college we never thought we’d ever be able to play with each other again. It’s a blessing.”
Young and Bosa figure to be on the field a lot together — lining up on opposite sides of the 49ers’ defensive line — over the final half of the 2023 season.
“I think it’s going to be just like in college, a race to the quarterback,” Young said. “It’s going to be real fun. That’s all I know.”