Chase Young exited with a stinger in the Commanders’ opener

Young suffered the injury, which occurs when the nerves in the neck and shoulder are stretched or compressed after contact, four games into the team’s first preseason game in Cleveland. He returned to training a week later on a limited basis and with a no-contact policy.

Young told reporters earlier this week that he expected to play Sunday and was “ready to go.” Both he and the team were waiting for the final word from doctors, which was expected on Friday. The team initially classified him as questionable.

“Chase has worked very hard and gotten himself into great shape,” coach Ron Rivera said Friday. “Even throughout the whole process, he did everything that was necessary.”

Although Young’s absence is not expected to last long, it delays his comeback from a serious knee injury that kept him out of 22 games during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He played in the final three games of last season, but it wasn’t until the spring and training camp this summer that he looked more like himself.

It’s plausible that Young returns in Week 3 when the Commanders host the Buffalo Bills. At this point, the team will have already seen him in practice for two weeks. The Commanders travel to Denver to face the Broncos in Week 2.

After a 20-year absence, Champ Bailey is thrilled to be back in Washington

To add some depth to the line in Young’s absence, the Commanders activated defensive end William Bradley-King from the practice squad on Friday.

The team also signed receiver/returner Jamison Crowder for Sunday’s game.

Receiver Dax Milne has been placed on injured reserve with a groin injury and will be out for at least the next four weeks. Crowder gives Washington another option as a returner.

Veteran receiver Terry McLaurin, who suffered a mild turf toe in the second preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, was removed from the injury report Friday and will play Sunday.