The Washington Commanders could be forced to play the early portion of 2022 minus one of their best defenders.

According to Ben Standig of The Athletic, Commanders’ head coach Ron Rivera said he expects defensive end Chase Young to miss “a little bit of time” during the regular season.

Ron Rivera tells @JunksRadio he expects Chase Young (ACL) to miss "a little bit of time" when the regular season begins.

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) July 29, 2022

Young continues to recover from last year’s torn ACL, suffered in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While certainly disappointing for Washington fans, the news should not come as a surprise as several of the team’s beat writers had been adamant that Young’s Week 1 availability was no guarantee.  

One of the league’s most disappointing units in 2021, the Commanders’ defense is shaping up to be even more susceptible without the 23-year-old’s presence. Through 24 career NFL games, Young has tallied nine sacks, 63 tackles, six forced fumbles, and six pass deflections.

FanDuel Sportsbook currently has the Commanders at +500 odds to win the NFC East Division.