(Photo Credit: New Orleans Saints)
Defensive end Chase Young signs a one-year, fully guaranteed contract worth over $13 million with the New Orleans Saints on Monday, according to a report from ESPN.
While the Saints confirmed the signing, specific financial terms were not disclosed to the public.
Chase Young’s Impression of the Saints
Young, who was traded from the Washington Commanders to the San Francisco 49ers this past season, engaged in discussions with the Saints on Monday and was impressed with their defensive setup.
“I definitely plan to add a good piece,” Young said in a video conference with New Orleans reporters Monday night. “I’m going to let my play do the talking.”
The 49ers acquired Young just before the trade deadline, sending a compensatory third-round pick to the Commanders to bolster their edge-rushing capabilities.
Performance with the 49ers
In San Francisco, Young played a key role in the 49ers’ pass rush alongside Clelin Ferrell during passing situations. He made 2.5 sacks, and 10 tackles, and had 16 pressures in nine regular-season games. He also got a sack in the 49ers’ Super Bowl LVIII defeat against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Throughout the season, the 24-year-old Young matched his career-best performance with 7.5 sacks. He also made 25 tackles and created 41 pressures while playing for both Washington and San Francisco.
“I feel like in every area of my game, I can grow. I’m still a young player,” Young said. “I’m going to do my best to make sure [the Saints] know they didn’t pick the wrong one.”
Injury and Recovery
The Commanders selected Young with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. However, he faced challenges when he suffered a torn right ACL in 2021, causing him to miss most of the 2022 season. During this time, he only played in 12 games across two seasons.
Saints’ Current Pass-Rushing Situation
The Saints have been seeking a pass-rusher since last fall, but they didn’t make any moves during last year’s trade deadline. Their pass-rushing struggles were evident as they ended the 2023 season ranked 28th with only 34 sacks, marking their lowest total since 2016.
The Saints have invested high draft picks in acquiring pass-rushers, picking Payton Turner in the first round of the 2021 draft and Isaiah Foskey in the second round of the 2023 draft, but neither had a sack last year. Foskey spent most of the season as a healthy scratch, while Turner’s playing time was limited to just two games due to injury.
Last fall, the Saints secured contract extensions for 27-year-old Carl Granderson and 34-year-old Cameron Jordan. Jordan, a first-round pick in the 2011 draft, was the last Saints pass-rusher to achieve double-digit sacks, recording 12.5 sacks during the 2021 season. He played in every game last season but dealt with several injuries, finishing with 2.5 sacks.
“This place, I had a feeling. My mom always said trust my gut,” Young said. “I felt like this was the best choice for me.”
