Tag: Chase Young

Chase Young is entering a make-or-break year with the Saints

Bleacher Report puts the pressure on Chase Young and says he’s in a make-or-break season. The Saints gave him a contract that says the same:

It’s hard to argue with Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay’s claim that Chase Young is entering a make-or-break season.

The New Orleans Saints signed the defensive end to a one-year contract this offseason. For a former top-five draft pick entering Year 5 on his third team, it is obviously a prove-it contract.

His deal aligns with Kay’s statement.

Kay acknowledged that Young is a high-ceiling player who has seen injuries impact his career. Young was the 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year, but he took a step back in his second year before suffering a season-ending injury that lingered into the next campaign. His pressures were slightly up, but Young’s impact plays took a heavy drop off from 7.5 sacks in 2020 to just 1.5 in 2021. Sacks are the headline grabber, so that affects his perception.

Young wasn’t able to register a sack in the three games he played in 2022, either. He looked like he regained his momentum at the beginning of 2023. He registered five sacks in his first six games then the production slowed down after being traded to the 49ers.

All of that sets up for a player looking to put together the most complete season of his young career in hopes of proving he still have a high ceiling. He’ll also be a pivotal part of the Saints defensive plans. If he lives up to his hype, the Saints may have solved their pass rush woes, even if it’s just for a single season.

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Ranking Saints’ toughest offseason departures: No. 4, Zack Baun

Zack Baun moved on to Philadelphia to chase a higher ceiling as a pass rusher. The Saints never had a great plan for getting the most out of him:

Continuing our series of ranking the toughest departures from the New Orleans Saints this offseason, linebacker Zack Baun finds himself fourth on the list.

Baun leaving for the Philadelphia Eagles has the potential to be a huge regret for New Orleans, but their usage of him prevented him from entering the top-three in this list. Baun entered the NFL draft as a pass rusher whose size best suited him as a linebacker in an odd-front defense. That would allow him to stay on-ball and rush the passer on most downs.

Instead, the Saints converted him to an off-ball role, which immediately negated his greatest asset. It wasn’t until the end of his tenure they let him rush the passer more. Would that have continued? With Payton Turner returning from injury and Isaiah Foskey entering his second season, Baun may have been limited to being a minor part of the pass rush at the beginning of the year.

In Philadelphia, they have experience using small pass rushers. Even if he does succeed, his ceiling in New Orleans wasn’t that high.

The addition of Chase Young also makes this departure less impactful. The situation at  a position is just as important as the talent of the player. Young comes to the Saints hoping to capitalize on the potential that made him the second overall pick in 2020 NFL draft.

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Saints’ expensive defensive ends overlooked on ESPN positional rankings

The Saints have spent many draft picks and salary cap dollars on their defensive ends, but the entire group was shut out of ESPN’s positional rankings:

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has been busy polling dozens of anonymous NFL executives, coaches, and scouts to find the best players at every position group, and on Wednesday he shared their rankings for the league’s best edge rushers. It’s a broad category that lumps traditional defensive ends in with pass-rushing outside linebackers, but the key takeaway for the New Orleans Saints is that they weren’t represented.

That isn’t too surprising given the Saints’ issues pressuring the quarterback last season. Just three teams had fewer sacks than New Orleans (34), who tied with the New York Giants for fourth-worst in the NFL. Their edge rotation just hasn’t been effective enough.

It’s not for lack of trying to improve the group. Cameron Jordan is playing on a contract that carries $28.4 million in guarantees. Carl Granderson has been guaranteed $22.1 million, and Chase Young signed this offseason for a guaranteed $12.5 million. On top of that, the Saints drafted Payton Turner with the 28th overall pick in 2021 and Isaiah Foskey at 40th overall in 2023. They were guaranteed $12.5 million and $6.7 million, respectively. If you’re keeping score, that’s about $82.2 million invested in these five players.

The hope is for Young to heal up from offseason neck surgery in time for the start of the regular season in September; for what it’s worth, he’s progressing well and received positive news at a checkup to start the summer. Last season he tied his career-high with 7.5 sacks and almost doubled his personal-best in quarterback pressures (67, per Pro Football Focus charting). Granderson led the Saints with 8.5 sacks and 57 pressures.

If Foskey can settle in and earn snaps, too (and he should; he didn’t set Notre Dame’s school sacks record by accident) then this group could really get moving. But they haven’t been good enough so far, and there’s nothing wrong with admitting that. Turner has been a big disappointment. Jordan is at a point in his career where he can’t deliver as the team’s primary pass rusher, and he shouldn’t be asked to. Granderson has developed well and made big strides year over year. If the plan is for Granderson and Young to lead the charge with Turner and Foskey rotating in on passing downs while Jordan focuses on being a reliable run stopper, it just might work. We’ll see how it shakes out over the summer, and whether any of them earn a spot in the top-10 rankings this time next year.

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NFL analysts rank Saints front seven as the second-best in the NFC South

The battle for the best front seven in the NFC South is a tight race, and the Saints ranked second to the Buccaneers on the “Move the Sticks” podcast

NFL Network analysts and “Move The Sticks” podcast hosts Bucky Brooks and Daniel Jeremiah each picked the New Orleans Saints’ front seven as the second-best in the NFC South.

“I can’t say that there’s a group that really separates themselves from the pack,” Brooks said, reinforcing how close each team’s units are.

There was agreement on the Tampa Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons, who fell first and last in each analyst’s rankings. That’s where the conversation was focused. New Orleans has a stronger perception than their Carolina Panthers counterparts, and the Falcons, but no team stands head-and-shoulders above the rest.

The Saints’ front seven is driven by their linebacker corps. Demario Davis is the best player on the defense at any level. His consistent high level of play and availability earn him this honor. Pete Werner and Willie Gay had down years last season, but both have played well enough in the past to cause belief they’ll bounce back.

This will be the best trio of linebackers the Saints have had in a while. They struggled against the run last season, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see New Orleans deploy more three-linebacker sets than usual.

For all of the criticism around the defensive line, the potential remains there. Bryan Bresee and Isaiah Foskey move into Year 2. Foskey didn’t play much as a rookie but has the chance to earn a big spot in the rotation.

Chase Young comes in as well. This addition has the highest potential benefit for the Saints front seven. This addition mixed with players on the interior and edge stepping up could lead to the Saints front seven being the best in the division by season’s end.

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Payton Turner labeled a roster cuts candidate who could land elsewhere

Payton Turner has only played 15 games in three years. That untapped potential makes him a potential roster cut who could garner interest elsewhere:

Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay called New Orleans Saints defensive end Payton Turner a potential roster cut that should be on other teams’ radar. There are some notable names on the list alongside Turner, but his status as a former first round draft pick does make him more appealing than others.

This designation meant two things for Turner, from Kay’s perspective.  Turner may be released but has the talent to possibly contribute elsewhere. Kay argues Turner does indeed check both of those boxes:

He has the length and athleticism required to succeed on the edge at the professional level at 6’6″, 270 pounds while possessing plenty of explosiveness and power within that frame.

Although he hasn’t managed to translate those skills to the pro level yet, he has occasionally flashed when he hasn’t been sidelined by significant shoulder and foot injuries. He had a two-sack game against the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022, a contest that showcased his ability to disrupt.

Turner is obviously a camp casualty candidate. The Saints have drafted Isaiah Foskey early in the second round and also signed Chase Young in free agency over the last two years. New Orleans has been trying to find the answer at defensive end, but it’s been elusive.

Turner’s injury concerns have opened the door for more talent to walk in. The room could reach capacity with Turner as the odd man out. The problem with him is he has flashed his talent at times. It feels like if he was ever able to play over half a season he may be able to build upon some of these good moments. He’s only played 15 games in his three-year career.

If Turner is cut, another team could easily see those moments and give him a chance because of it. No one knows for sure what he could be with a full season. It’s likely a team would take the gamble to find out. But with Tanoh Kpassagnon possibly out for the year with a torn Achilles tendon, it’s unlikely the Saints are ready to cut ties with Turner just yet.

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Defensive line is the Saints pivotal unit on defense

The defense has been the backbone of the Saints for years. The one thing that could break them is continued poor performance in the trenches:

The New Orleans Saints defense has been the backbone of the team for a while at this point. Since the retirement of Drew Brees, the defense has bore a significantly heavier weight.

Offense has sputtered due to injuries and inconsistencies. The hope is Klint Kubiak joining as offensive coordinator will give an immediate benefit and lessen the weight the defense has to carry. However, the Saints can’t slack up defensively if they want to maximize their potential in 2024.

The Saints pass defense was strong despite having a lackluster pass rush. Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo still form a strong tandem on the outside. Alontae Taylor and Kool-Aid McKinstry battle it out on the inside, but both have the ability to play on the outside.

The defensive strength still lies in the secondary. Dennis Allen cannot, however, continue to ask them to cover up for a nearly nonexistent pass rush. Getting after the quarterback is the headliner, but the Saints also struggled to stop the run. Last year they tied for 28th in sacks and ranked 22nd in rushing yards allowed.

For as strong as the Saints defense has been over the last two years, the trenches haven’t been great. Allen understands the value in strengthening the unit and signing Chase Young is the latest attempt to accomplish this over nearly a decade.

If there was one Achilles’ heel on an otherwise strong unit, the New Orleans Saints defensive line would be it. Their limitations haven’t caught up to the Saints yet. In order for it not to happen in 2024, recent signings and draft picks must step up to the plate.

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PFF ranks Commanders’ defensive line last among the NFC East teams

Is the defensive line still a strength for the Commanders?

Since Washington selected defensive tackle Daron Payne in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft, the defensive line has been a strength. Washington chose Payne one year after it selected his former college teammate, Jonathan Allen, in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft.

In 2019, Washington selected defensive end Montez Sweat and followed that up by choosing Chase Young in the 2020 NFL draft. During the 2020 season, it looked like Washington had the makings of what could’ve been a dominant foursome for a long time.

It didn’t happen. Young never became the player most thought he’d become for different reasons, and he was traded last October. The Commanders also traded Sweat at the trade deadline, too, although because they received an offer they couldn’t refuse. The team didn’t want to trade Sweat.

Washington’s defense, which was expected to be a team strength, was dead last in multiple categories last season. Even Payne and Allen had down seasons.

So, with Payne and Allen back but Sweat and Young gone, is the defensive line still a team strength?

Pro Football Focus recently ranked every NFL team’s defensive line from 1 to 32. Washington was ranked 19th, last of the four NFC East teams.

Last season resulted in unexpected down years from the interior duo of Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne. Allen led the team in quarterback pressures, with 49, but it was his worst PFF pass-rushing grade since 2019 and the worst overall grade of his career.

Rookie Johnny Newton will hope to force his way into the rotation inside and make some noise, but the big issue for this team is on the edge, where new free agent Dorance Armstrong may be the most proven commodity.

It’s hard to disagree that the issue here is on the edge. Washington signed multiple veterans, including Armstrong, Dante Fowler and Clelin Ferrell, but none of the group is in Sweat’s class. Armstrong does appear to have the highest ceiling of the group.

In case you were wondering where the rest of the NFC East ranked:

  • 3. Philadelphia Eagles
  • 6. Dallas Cowboys
  • 18. New York Giants

The Giants’ ranking was a bit of a surprise with the addition of edge rusher Brian Burns and the presence of Dexter Lawrence.

Numbers prove the Commanders could not rush the passer in 2023

The Commanders could not rush the passer in 2023. Will that change in 2024 under Dan Quinn?

When the Washington Commanders opened the 2023 NFL season, they had Chase Young and Montez Sweat starting at defensive end. By November 1, both players were gone, and Washington turned to a pair of 2023 Day-3 draft picks and two other former seventh-round picks as its top pass rushers.

As you’d imagine, the Commanders struggled to rush the passer, but it wasn’t only because of the personnel. Washington was always seemingly at a coaching disadvantage, too. The Commanders didn’t have the pass rushers to win one-on-one, and the coaching staff didn’t do a good job of creating pressure.

That will change under new head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. While Quinn and Whitt will not have Micah Parsons in Washington, Quinn has always been excellent at finding ways to create pressure.

We’ve reviewed the Commanders’ defensive ineptitude a number of times, but Pro Football Focus recently gave us another statistic showing their struggles.

PFF used “clustering” to examine all 32 NFL defenses from the 2023 season. Before we review the assessment on Washington, let’s allow PFF to explain the clustering method:

Clustering is a mathematical technique used to group similar observations. The most common form is the k-means clustering algorithm, which completes its iterative process when each observation is in the cluster that best represents it. In other words, there is no other cluster whose center (or mean of all the variables) is closer to that observation than the one it currently belongs to.

Now, what about the Commanders?

PFF has Washington in Cluster One with the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans.

The Commanders rushed the passer the least often of any defense in 2023 (29.3%).

In addition to Washington’s inability to rush the passer, the team struggled across the board defensively. This offseason, general manager Adam Peters signed Dorance Armstrong, Clelin Ferrell and Dante Fowler at defensive end. Armstrong and Fowler followed Quinn to the Commanders from Dallas.

And while none of the aforementioned newcomers are known as standout pass rushers, Washington will be much better at applying pressure in 2024. Armstrong, in particular, is the most intriguing addition.

NFL announces key dates for 2025 draft, start of free agency

The Saints will have some high-profile free agents in 2025 like Paulson Adebo and Rashid Shaheed. The NFL just announced when they could hit the market:

Yes, 2025 is still a long ways away — but it’s important to keep an eye on the future. That’s how the New Orleans Saints operate, and so does every other NFL team. The league office announced key dates for the 2025 offseason this week, highlighting the 2025 NFL draft and the start of free agency.

Here’s what we learned:

  • Feb. 18 to March 4: This is the window for teams to use the franchise tag (or the less-common transition tag).
  • March 12: This is the start of the new league year and free agency signing period.
  • April 24-26: The three-day 2025 NFL draft, which will be held in Green Bay.

We can infer some other things, like the real start of free agency being March 10. That’s when the legal tampering period opens, where teams court free agents and discuss contracts, but deals may only be agreed to, not signed. Every year a couple of players renege on those handshake agreements so nothing is guaranteed until pens go to paper a few days later.

Will the Saints use the franchise tag in 2025? Maybe. They’d like to avoid it given their complex salary cap situation, but they have several high-profile players headed for free agency after the 2024 season: Paulson Adebo, Pete Werner, Chase Young, Willie Gay, Juwan Johnson, Payton Turner, and Rashid Shaheed (who will be a restricted free agent, making him ineligible for the tag but easier to re-sign).

No one expected the Saints to use the franchise tag the last time they brought it out, at least not the summer before. It certainly wasn’t expected to be such a difficult decision between tagging Marcus Williams or Trey Hendrickson. Letting Hendrickson walk away in free agency (while tagging Williams only to fail to re-sign him later) has turned out to be one of Mickey Loomis’ biggest blunders, but going into his breakout season with the Saints he had just 6.5 sacks in three years. We’re in the same position now that we were then. Maybe one of those players we just listed performs so well in 2024 the Saints can’t afford to let them go in 2025.

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Chase Young receives a positive update in neck surgery checkup

ESPN reports New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young received a positive update regarding his offseason neck surgery:

Newly acquired defensive end Chase Young underwent a neck surgery this offseason, and the New Orleans Saints were hopeful that he would be back in time for the start of the season. Ultimately, this surgery has gone well, and according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Young received a positive update regarding his healing process. After meeting with Dr. Robert Watkins this week, it has become more clear that Young could be able to participate in training camps with the team.

Dr. Watkins is an orthopedic spine surgeon who also specializes in neck surgeries, and who has handled many athletes’ cases when it comes to back and neck. One of the more notable cases was Peyton Manning’s anterior fusion to remove and replace a herniated disc. He has also worked with tight end Dalton Kincaid when he suffered his spinal injury pre-draft, five-time gold glove outfielder Jason Heyward of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and recent first-round draft pick Laiatu Latu after his neck injury as well.

That’s a strong resume. Dr. Watkins has worked with many professional athletes, and has the experience to make judgement calls when it comes to a return timeline. With Young having a follow-up for tests in six weeks, he does plan to be participating at training camp in some capacity. If things go well and he is fully cleared for the season, this could be a great chance for Young to demonstrate his capabilities and earn a long-term contract with New Orleans or another team on the free agent market.

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