Philadelphia Eagles: Ranking the edge rushers of the NFC East

2. Washington Commanders

Washington might just have the best defensive end tandem in the NFC East, especially the best home-grown defensive end tandem, which, when coupled with the one-two punch of Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio makes for a pretty potent proposition at the edge rusher position.

If Montez Sweat can revert to his 2020 form and the team’s other first-round rusher – more on him soon – can fully recover from his ACL tear, Washington’s edge rushing unit has the potential to be incredibly effective, much to the chagrin of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Most important performer: Chase Young

When a team drafts a defensive end first overall, the dream outcome is to find a player who can make a major impact as a rookie and for years to come after. They want a player who can compete for Defensive Rookie of the Year and make the Pro Bowl both as a rookie and for years to come after.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, Chase Young very much looks like that player, even if his second season wasn’t quite as impressive as his rookie season.

If Young can get back from his torn ACL injury and get acclimated to Rivera’s defense, there’s little reason to believe he couldn’t be the focal point of the now-Washington Commanders for years to come.