Patriots' game vs. Commanders gets a lot more winnable, with Washington making big trades

BOSTON -- The Washington Commanders entered Tuesday with a clear directive: Sell, sell, sell.

As a result, the Patriots' next game got a whole lot more winnable.

The Commanders, sitting at 3-5 on the season, traded away their top two pass rushers on Tuesday, ahead of the trade deadline.

First, Washington sent Montez Sweat to the Chicago Bears, landing a second-round pick in return.

Hours later, Washington traded Chase Young to the 49ers in exchange for a third-round pick.

The moves are significant for Washington, as both Young and Sweat are on the final years of their rookie deals. Sweat is on his fifth-year option, while the Commanders didn't pick up Young's fifth-year option after he played in just three games last season. With both pass rushers set for free agency this coming spring, the Commanders opted to add some draft picks instead of playing out the string with one or both player on the roster.

That's a notable move for the franchise, after Sweat was drafted as a first-round pick (26th overall) in 2019 and Young was taken second overall in 2020.

For the Patriots, who have had a difficult time protecting Mac Jones all season, this represents good news for Sunday. Sweat led the team with 6.5 sacks, while Young ranked second with five.

Of course, some fans in New England who don't want to see the 2-6 Patriots hurt their draft position by winning games may not appreciate that news. But the players and coaches who are spending all of their time and energy on these games will obviously be doing everything possible to win the games left on the schedule. Considering the struggles the Patriots have had, they could easily still lose this week. But at the very least, the degree of difficulty in facing the Commanders has lessened significantly.