Tag: Chase Young

Chase Young signs free agent deal with the New Orleans Saints

Chase Young is headed the Cresent City. #GoBucks

Former Ohio State superstar Chase Young has signed a free-agent contract with the New Orleans Saints. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the deal is a one-year contract worth $13 million guaranteed.

Young of course broke out at Ohio State where he wreaked havoc on opposing quarterbacks which saw him finish fourth in the Heisman voting as a junior. After the 2019 season, Young would go on to be the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft where he would earn Defensive Rookie of the Year and help lead Washington to a surprise NFC East crown.

From there Young has had an up-and-down career that has largely been marked by injuries. He had an ACL tear in the middle of year two which carried over into the next season. Young was traded to San Francisco in the middle of the 2023 season where he performed admirably helping get the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

Young will join a solid defensive unit in New Orleans. He’ll join the likes of Cameron Jordan and former Ohio State alum, Marshon Lattimore. The Saint’s defense was ranked in the top 12 all season last year.

Young is betting on himself by signing a one-year deal. If he’s able to get back to being the consistent disrupter of the past, he’ll cash in with an even heftier payday in 2025.

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Report: Saints wrote injury protections into Chase Young’s contract

NOF’s Nick Underhill reports that the Saints wrote injury protections into Chase Young’s contract, though he’s expected to be ready in time for the regular season:

This is a bit of a relief. The New Orleans Saints wrote injury protections into their free agent contract with defensive end Chase Young, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. We’ll have to wait and see what shape those protections take, but typically they wipe out guarantees to save salary cap resources if a player doesn’t meet certain performance goals for play time. That can mean either games started, a percentage of snaps played, or something similar.

News broke Tuesday that Young would be undergoing neck surgery after signing his fully-guaranteed $13 million contract with the Saints, which sparked an uproar among Saints fans. While the reported expectation is for Young to miss most of the offseason program and return during training camp, there’s always the chance of complication or slow recovery. He isn’t expected to miss the start of the regular season. If he does miss time in September, the Saints have taken steps to protect themselves.

And Young knows that. He’ll have every incentive to attack his rehab and get back on the field as soon as possible. He won’t see the full $13 million he agreed to play for if he doesn’t. So it’s good to see the Saints were being proactive, too. Stay tuned for further details.

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Chase Young undergoes neck surgery after signing with the Saints

Chase Young underwent neck surgery after signing with the Saints. He isn’t expected to be ready for training camp:

This sure dampens the mood for New Orleans Saints fans. Their team’s shiny new free agent acquisition is going on the mend until July — if not longer. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Chase Young underwent neck surgery after signing a one-year, fully-guaranteed $13 million contract with the team.

Schefter says that while Young is expected to return in time for the start of the regular season in September, recovery from this procedure will “sideline him into training camp.” So fans shouldn’t expect to even see Young on the practice field until August. Young played through the injury last season for two different teams but requires this now procedure in order to continue his career.

While Schefter says that teams were aware of this medical situation, and that “the Saints were comfortable moving ahead with it,” it’s very disappointing for a team with such a lengthy history of injuries at the defensive end position. Marcus Davenport and Payton Turner, both first-round draft picks, spent extensive time in trainer’s room early in their careers. Young is quite literally following in their footsteps. Hopefully everything will go as planned so that Young can hit the field in Week 1 and make a positive impact.

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Which jersey number is Chase Young going to use with the Saints?

Forget the contract and schematic fit. The real question is which jersey number is Chase Young going to use with the New Orleans Saints?

The New Orleans Saints made a splash in free agency by signing Chase Young, who could do a lot to change Cameron Jordan’s role and allow them to both play their best football. But beyond the salary cap ramifications of acquiring Young and how he’ll fit into the defense, we’ve got to consider the most important question: what jersey number is Young going to be wearing?

Young has worn two different numbers in the NFL, choosing No. 99 (with Washington) and No. 92 (with San Francisco). Right now, both of those are taken by Khalen Saunders and Tanoh Kpassagnon, respectively. Before he turned pro Young used No. 2 at Ohio State, and while that is available the Saints showed last year they didn’t understand the new rules by not allowing Jason Pierre-Paul to wear a linebacker number. They insisted he be listed as a defensive end, who are not eligible for wearing single digits.

Chris Olave has already shown an interest in switching to No. 2 (which he also wore in college at Ohio State), and there wouldn’t be any question about a wide receiver using it.

What about Young’s high school number? He transferred from St. Vincent Pallotti High School, where he wore No. 34, to DeMatha Catholic High School, where he switched to No. 9. Drew Brees’ number is unofficially retired, so we can scratch that out. Which means the only number Young has used before, No. 34, is also the only one still available. But it isn’t eligible for defensive linemen, so the Saints would have to list Young on the roster as an outside linebacker, which they’ve been reluctant to do before.

There are two numbers in the nineties that could appeal to Young: Nos. 91 and 97, last used by Kyle Phillips and Malcolm Roach. It’s also possible he could buy out his preferred number from Saunders or Kpassagnon, or go with something fresh altogether. It’s a curious situation, but honestly pretty low-stakes given everything else going on with this team and the world at large. We’ll keep an eye out for an update.

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Teaming up Cameron Jordan with Chase Young could bring out the best of them

Teaming up Cameron Jordan with Chase Young could bring out their best. Their strengths and weaknesses compliment each other:

Look at Chase Young and Cameron Jordan and you’ll see two players in very different stages of their careers. Jordan is putting the finishing touches on a career he hopes will earn him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Young is joining the New Orleans Saints with visions of catapulting his career to greater heights, where he’ll earn a life-changing contract in a year or two and join Jordan on that Hall of Fame trajectory.

And Jordan, 10 years Young’s senior, is a different player now than he was a decade ago. He’s still reliable in run defense; few defensive ends set a harder edge and give up less ground when opposing offenses test them. However, age and injuries and wear and tear have taken a toll, and Jordan lacks that extra step to close in on the quarterback and finish a distracting pressure with a drive-killing a sack.

Young is in the opposite situation. He’s as disruptive against the pass as they come, consistently beating his blocker off the snap and getting into the backfield to breathe down the quarterback’s neck. But he’s known as someone who shies away from contact when teams run at him, with a bad habit of loafing around and letting his teammates rally to the ball instead.

So this is a unique opportunity for them to bring out the best in each other. At this stage in his career, Jordan should be a two-down player who can stop the run and bring some pressure when teams drop back to pass. And Young is exactly the type of player who should be stepping in for him on third downs and obvious long-yardage passing situations, where he won’t be asked to hold ground in run defense. They can play to each other’s strengths while minimizing their weaknesses.

Having the two of them together is a good teaching opportunity, and it’s something Young says he’s looking forward to experiencing. Young was asked about the situation the Saints have set up for him to learn from Jordan,  which he says he’s eager to embrace.

“That’s definitely something big for me, that I’m excited to do,” Young said Monday during his introductory press conference. “A future Hall of Famer, a guy who I can spend time with, who I can just absorb the game from. I’m definitely excited about Big Cam.”

Jordan was miscast as the Saints’ No. 2 pass rusher last year even before an ankle injury set him back through the back half of the season; Carl Granderson is a fine No. 2 option himself, but the group was missing a lead rusher to stet them both up for success. Young can do that. He had more pressures (74, including the playoffs) than both Granderson (58) and Jordan (45).

Even if Young is focused on playing the pass, there should be plenty of snaps to go around. The Saints faced 226 third downs last year. Opposing offenses needed 10 or more yards on 15 first downs and 133 second downs. If Young subbed in for Jordan on that exact number of plays (and, for the sake of this exercise, they were all passes by the offense) then it would be 374 pass rush snaps, which is comparable to the split Bryan Bresee saw at defensive tackle in his rookie year; he played the pass on 386 snaps while stopping the run just 148 times. A similar rotation could benefit Young and Jordan, too.

Letting players do what they do best sounds easy enough, but it can be tough to pull off. Ambitious young men don’t want to leave the field any more than their prideful elders. But the Saints didn’t sign Young without a clear vision for how he’ll fit into their rotation. If he takes point on passing downs (which, for the Saints, were about 67.2% of their defensive snaps in 2023) with Granderson rushing off the opposite end and Jordan putting his efforts into stopping the run, it just might bring out the best in everyone. That has to be the plan with Jordan’s career drawing to a close and Young hoping to cash in after playing out this prove-it deal in New Orleans. Let’s see if the team can carry out that vision, or if they have something else in mind.

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Signing Chase Young likely takes Saints out of the running for 2025 comp picks

The Saints have enjoyed the benefits of comp picks in recent years, but signing Chase Young makes it unlikely they’ll see any in 2025:

It was fun while it lasted. The New Orleans Saints have enjoyed the benefits of compensatory draft picks in recent years, but signing Chase Young makes it unlikely they’ll see any extra picks in 2025. Few teams have received as many comp picks as the Saints over the last four draft cycles, owing to their losses in free agency:

  • 2021: Comp picks in rounds three (Nos. 98 and 105) and six (218)
  • 2022: Comp picks in round three (Nos. 98 and 101)
  • 2023: Comp pick in round seven (No. 257)
  • 2024: Comp picks in round five (Nos. 168, 170, and 175)

Remember, comp pics are awarded based on free agents lost against those signed in the previous offseason. And before the Saints signed Young, they were breaking even according to the analysts at Over The Cap who predict comp picks every year. After signing Young, it’s unlikely the Saints will lose any qualifying free agents who would balance him out.

Here’s where the Saints stand:

  • Players lost: Malcolm Roach (7th round), Lonnie Johnson Jr. (DNQ), Zack Baun (TBA), and Isaac Yiadom (TBA)
  • Players gained: Chase Young (4th round) Willie Gay Jr. (7th round), Nathan Peterman (TBA), Zander Horvath (DNQ)

So unless Baun and Yiadom each signed qualifying offers (which seems unlikely, as their agencies would have bragged about it by now) then we should assume they won’t factor in. And the list of qualifying players is wearing down quickly.

Remember, no players who were released — like Michael Thomas and Jameis Winston, or Marcus Maye — qualify for comp picks. Neither do players whose contracts were shortened after signing, as was the case with Andrus Peat. Which means the Saints would need someone like Johnathan Abram, Ugo Amadi, Keith Kirkwood, or Max Garcia to sign a really nice free agent contract in order to tip the scales back in their favor.

And don’t bet on that. Odds are strong that the Saints will sign a couple more  qualifying free agents than they’ll lose while working to address their problems this offseason. For now, they have plenty of draft picks stored up for 2025 (everything but a seventh rounder going to the Philadelphia Eagles, who else, as part of last year’s C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade).

It would be nice to pad that out with a couple of comp picks, but at this point it just doesn’t seem likely. Maybe Young plays out of his mind this season and signs a lucrative contract somewhere else in 2025, which could bring back a good comp pick in 2026.

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Chase Young signing with Saints may signal the end of Payton Turner era

Chase Young will be taking someone’s spot in the rotation after the Saints signed him. It just might be Payton Turner’s:

Chase Young will be taking someone’s spot in the rotation after the New Orleans Saints signed him to a one-year, $13 million contract on Monday (with every dollar guaranteed once his pen touched paper). The Saints are bringing back all of their major contributors from 2023 at defensive end, but the group performed so poorly that it makes sense for Young to elbow someone aside.

It just might be Payton Turner drawing the short straw. The 2021 first-round pick hasn’t lived up to expectations, and it’s almost a foregone conclusion that the Saints will not pick up his fifth-year option for 2025 before May’s deadline. Between injuries and coach’s decisions based on his too-slow progress, Turner has only played 15 games through his first three years, without a single start.

Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson are locked in, and Tanoh Kpassagnon also played major snaps last year (23.8 per game). Backups Isaiah Foskey and Kyle Phillips got a few looks here and there. If Young can fill in for Jordan on third downs and obvious passing situations, limiting the old pro’s snap counts, there may not be many more reps to go around. Phillips is an unrestricted free agent who has not been retained. Foskey’s development has been slow, like Turner’s, but he’s only entering his second year in the NFL.

So it’ll probably be Turner or Kpassagnon being squeezed out. They share surprisingly similar skill sets as defensive linemen who can set the edge or slide inside, and the financials are similar, too. Turner’s 2024 salary cap hit is set at just over $3.9 million. Trading or releasing him after June 1 (during or after training camp, too) would save the Saints $2.3 million. Kpassagnon’s cap hit is $3.3 million and moving him this summer would save the team $2.5 million against the cap.

And of those two, Kpassagnon has been the better player for the Saints. He’s been healthy and productive and played more games. That might make him a more appealing asset to other teams. At the same time, Kpassagnon will turn 30 in June, and the aging Saints defense has been a point of contention among fans. It’s possible Turner plays well enough in practices over the summer that it’s a real question of who makes the cut, and another team could swoop in to make New Orleans a trade offer they can’t refuse. It would be a good problem to have.

It’s just a shame Turner hasn’t met expectations to this point in his career. Some of it is his own fault with up-and-down performances when he’s been available. Some of it is on the coaching staff for preferring to run with older teammates in some games. But so much of the problem isn’t anyone’s fault. Injuries happen in the NFL, and Turner has been hit harder than most. We’ll see if he can bounce back with the stakes going higher in 2024.

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Saints guaranteed every dollar of Chase Young’s $13 million contract

The New Orleans Saints guaranteed every dollar of Chase Young’s $13 million contract. But his real salary cap hit might be much lower:

Whew. This is a big deal. The New Orleans Saints guaranteed every dollar of their $13 million contract with free agent defensive end Chase Young, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and confirmed by CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson.

But as is always the case with this team, don’t expect that to mean a simple $13 million salary cap charge on their accounting books. Depending on how this deal is structured, Young’s cap hit for 2024 could be as low as $3.5 million. Here’s how the accounting would look with four “ghost years” set to void at the end of the 2024 league year:

  • 2024 salary: $1,125,000; signing bonus proration: $2,375,000
  • 2025 signing bonus proration: $2,375,000
  • 2026 signing bonus proration: $2,375,000
  • 2027 signing bonus proration: $2,375,000
  • 2028 signing bonus proration: $2,375,000

The risk in doing this is that the Saints would be left with a dead money cap charge of $9.5 million next offseason should Young not re-sign on a new deal.

But the Saints have shown us before they’re comfortable paying that if need be. Andrus Peat is counting against the cap by more than $13.6 million and Marcus Maye has a dead money hit of $8.1 million for 2024 — and they both visited the Tennessee Titans on Monday as free agents who the Saints chose to let go. They paid comparable dead money hits in 2023 for David Onyemata ($10.1 million) and Marcus Davenport ($7.6 million).

If this is the route the Saints go, choosing to create short-term flexibility while jeopardizing future cap resources, it’s only a problem if Young fails to perform as expected in 2024. If he turns out to be a free agent bust and both sides move on, well: the Saints will have bigger problems to worry about  than where 3.4% of their salary cap is going. It’ll mean the pass rush failed to show up, again, and that the team lost a lot of games. And that Dennis Allen probably isn’t their head coach anymore. So when you take a big-picture view, this isn’t as big a gamble for the Saints at it might look at first glance.

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Former Commanders DE Chase Young to sign with the Saints

Chase Young signs with the New Orleans Saints.

Chase Young has a new home. According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Young has agreed to terms with the New Orleans Saints.

The No. 2 overall pick of the Washington Commanders in the 2020 NFL draft, Young was traded at last season’s NFL trade deadline to the San Francisco 49ers for a third-round choice.

After a rookie season in which he recorded 7.5 sacks and was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Young battled inconsistent play and injuries for the next two seasons. Last offseason, Washington chose not to pick up Young’s fifth-year option for 2024.

Young returned to the field in September, and in seven games for the Commanders, he had five sacks. After the trade to the 49ers, Young appeared in nine games in a pass-rushing role and had 2.5 sacks, giving him 7.5 for the season and tying his career high.

Instead of re-signing Young, the 49ers signed Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos last week.

Young will turn 25 in April.

Josina Anderson of CBS Sports revealed that Young’s one-year deal is worth up to as much as $13 million with incentives.

 

Chase Young expected to sign a one-year deal with the Saints

Multiple reports: Chase Young expects to sign a one-year deal with the Saints after visiting the team in New Orleans

The New Orleans Saints are closing in on a one-year contract with San Francisco 49ers defensive end Chase Young, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports the deal is worth up to $13 million, though ESPN’s Adam Schefter says that number is fully guaranteed. We’ll have to wait for clarity, but this is a good low-risk, high-reward option for the Saints.

Young was traded to the 49ers after a disappointing run with the Washington Commanders that saw the former second overall draft pick miss extensive time with injuries. His time in San Francisco was dimmed by effort concerns when he let plays get away from him, but the Saints are betting on talent triumphing in a big opportunity. They badly need to upgrade their pass rush after sacking opposing quarterbacks just 34 times last season, tied for fourth-fewest in the NFL.

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