There was a whole heck of a lot more dysfunction than Chase on that defense and team. And they didn't just trade away Chase, they traded away Sweat as well, which shocked me. There were some major organizational issues in Washington and with a the team and coaching staff being revamped, I think Chase was at least in part scapegoated.
He had a nice rookie season and there was a lot of optimism for him until his injury essentially derailed his career. I'm not sure he's ever fully recovered mentally from that.
I am hoping this will be a fresh start for him and that a solid 2024 season would do wonders for his confidence.
There's certainly risk that won't be the case, which is why Loomis hedged their bet on him with the games played stipulation. It's essentially $5 million guaranteed rather than $13 million, which makes a big difference.