Fresh off one of their biggest wins in recent memory, the Washington Commanders are expected to activate star defensive end Chase Young from the physically unable to perform list before Sunday’s matchup against the Houston Texans. 

Young tore his ACL and MCL in Week 14 of last season and returned to practice on November 2, giving the Commanders 21 days to activate him. He was not brought onto the active roster for either of the team’s previous two games, but he is likely to make his season debut in some capacity Sunday. 

"We won’t play him unless we feel he’s ready to roll," Washington coach Ron Rivera said Saturday. "There are some things he’s not comfortable doing… you can see his frustration because he wants it to happen now."

There was hope that Young would be ready to play Monday at Philadelphia, but he still wasn’t doing everything at full speed. The Commanders ended the Eagles' unbeaten season with a surprising 32-21 victory even without him.  

That gave Washington four wins in five games and left them at 5-5, squarely in the wild card race in the NFC.  

Young was the second overall pick in the 2020 draft and was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after he had 7.5 sacks, 44 tackles, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown.  

He wasn’t nearly as effective last season, with 1.5 sacks and 26 tackles in nine games before the season-ending injury. 

Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera had said all along the team would not rush defensive end Chase Young back from last November's ACL tear.

Now the earliest Young can suit up for the Commanders is Week 5 after officially placing the star pass-rusher on the reserve/physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Tuesday.

Young is still recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee sustained in Week 10 of last season and Rivera had already ruled him out for the 2022 opener against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars on September 11, while also hinting he could wind up on the PUP list.

Under the new rules for the PUP list, a player must sit out at least four games, meaning the first game Young will be eligible to play is against the Tennessee Titans on October 9.

After capturing Defensive Rookie of the Year honours and earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2020 with 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries to help Washington win the NFC East, Young's production dipped last year before his season-ending injury.

In nine games in 2021, Young finished with just 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles without recovering a fumble as Washington ended the season in third place in the division.

Placing Young on the PUP list was a necessary move as all teams must trim their rosters to 80 players by Tuesday's deadline.