49ers Pass Rusher Seen as Good Fit for Vikings in 2024

Getty 49ers pass rusher Chase Young

Well, this would be a bummer for the San Francisco 49ers. We are only two months removed from when the 49ers acquired defensive end Chase Young, and even when he came aboard, it was well-known that he could be a short-term rental. Young will become a free agent in the offseason, after all, and already is being called a player the Minnesota Vikings should look to sign.

Young would represent the “best of both worlds” to the Vikings, whose direction “isn’t clear” given the status of impending free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins, according to Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder in a January 1 story about “prioritizing every roster’s weaknesses after Week 17.”

“The Vikings might opt to get younger in the spring,” Holder wrote. “In a way, Young could provide the best of both worlds as he’ll be 25 years old in April and is a good player who can help the team win right away.”

Much remains to be seen with Young heading into next year. As a former No. 2 pick of the Washington Commanders out of Ohio State, Young still has a lot of fans in front offices around the NFL. And, should he play well during a 49ers playoff run, Young will be an even hotter commodity this offseason.

The 49ers will need to be very careful with their money in NFL free agency, but there is a chance Young will be a player the 49ers angle to keep. Spotrac projects Young as having a market value of $13.6 million per year, and is projecting him receiving a two-year, $27 million contract in the offseason. That’s expensive for a 49ers team that needs to be concerned about a number of payouts, including a potential new deal for star receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

49ers Could Lose Chase Young to Vikings

Holder is projecting a bit of pass-rusher roulette as the Vikes move on from their own pass-rushing stalwarts.

“Minnesota might lose two edge-rushers this offseason as Danielle Hunter and D.J. Wonnum are about to hit the open market. … [T]he direction of the franchise isn’t clear, considering it has several other key impending free agents — like quarterback Kirk Cousins,” Holder wrote.

He suggested the Vikings should target Young to fill the potential hole that Hunter and Wonnum could leave for the team to fill.

“The 2019 No. 2 overall pick has had a strong bounce-back campaign in 2023, racking up 7.5 sacks in Washington and San Francisco through Week 17,” he wrote.

Short-Term NFL Deal the Key?

It is possible, though, that the 49ers could keep Chase Young in free agency this spring — if he is willing to take on a short-term deal that does not get the 49ers too deep into a future commitment. Pro Football Focus projects Young signing a one-year, $15 million contract for next season, which might be palatable for San Francisco.

Young was a college teammate of 49ers star Nick Bosa at Ohio State, and both he and Bosa have been excited by the reunion.

In November, Bosa delivered a message he wants Young to keep in mind: Bring the energy.

“Just having him out there is really good energy,” Bosa told reporters, according to a November 21 story by 49ers Web Zone. “He’s excited to go out there and play. He wants to get those important reps in the game. And we’re talking before plays, kind of talking about what we’re going to do, and when he causes pressure [or] I cause pressure, it seems like the other guy ends up cleaning it up.”