Getty Chase Young will play in New Orleans next season.
Chase Young will move from one potential future Hall of Fame defensive line teammate to another.
The former San Francisco 49ers defensive end agreed to a one-year, $13 million deal with the New Orleans Saints, which ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported via sources on Monday. Young played with former Ohio State teammate fellow defensive end Nick Bosa in the Bay Area, and Young will now play with Saints defensive end Cam Jordan in the Bayou.
“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,” Young said via Boot Krewe Media on Monday.
“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.”
-Chase Young on Cam Jordan
🎥- @Saints
A three-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler, Jordan has been one of the toughest edge rushers in the NFL for years. Bosa likewise has been a force in his young career with All-Pro honors and four Pro Bowl appearances already.
Besides Jordan, Young believes the Saints could go places in 2024 and beyond. That’s despite no playoff appearances since quarterback Drew Brees retired.
“Just the culture. … It’s a winning culture. That’s what I wanted to be around,” Young said via New Orleans Football Network’s Nick Underhill on Monday.
Chase Young Still Trying to Regain 2020 Form
Chase Young with the nasty spin move for his first NFL sack 😤 @youngchase907 @WashingtonNFL
Individually, Young appeared to be on a similar trajectory to Jordan when he first came into the league with Washington in 2020 as the No. 2 pick. As Defensive Rookie of the Year, Young tallied 7.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, and 44 sacks, and he helped Washington reach the playoffs in his first year.
His career took a hit in November 2021 when he sustained an ACL tear. Young’s play already dwindled before that amid 26 tackles, two forced fumbles, and 1.5 sacks in nine games, but Young had a quite three games after this return, too, in 2023 with five tackles.
In 2023, Young had 15 tackles and five sacks in seven games before the Commanders traded him to San Francisco. Washington also traded away fellow defensive end Montez Sweat to the Chicago Bears at the 2023 trade deadline.
Young tallied 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks in nine regular season games for the 49ers, and he posted eight tackles and sack in three games for the playoff run. He didn’t have to do it all alongside Bosa, Javon Hargrave, and now-former Niners defensive lineman Arik Armstead.
San Francisco entered the offseason hard-pressed to keep Young because of his potential contract value. The 49ers have $1.93 million in available salary cap space at the moment, but the team has been over the cap for much of the offseason.
Chase Young Had Mixed Reviews With 49ers
CHASE YOUNG SACK
While Young came to San Francisco with pedigree, it wasn’t all perfect though head coach Kyle Shanahan liked what he saw at first.
“We try to have strength in numbers with our D-line,” Shanahan said in a November 2023 press conference. “We try to keep them fresh.”
“And adding Chase has been a huge one for our unit, and that helps everyone else. And then he individually is good enough to make the plays, too, which he’s gotten those ops, and he’s come through with them,” Shanahan added.
Then came the low point for Young in the NFC Championship Game where he noticeably didn’t get the job done. He gave up a touchdown on a missed tackle and finished with three tackles.
“I can’t have that,” Young said in February via NBC Sports Bay Area. “We definitely can’t have that on the field. Especially when you want to be a top defense in this league.”