The New Orleans Saints signed edge rusher Chase Young in free agency, fully aware he would miss some time due to neck surgery. Fortunately, Young has made significant progress in his recovery.
“He’s certainly ahead of where we thought he was going to be at this point in time and so, I think the ramp-up for him is just every day, you’re going to see a little bit more,” head coach Dennis Allen said, via John DeShazier of the Saints’ official team website. “Now, what’s a little bit more? Well, it may be a couple more reps each period until finally, we’re ready to fully incorporate him into the whole deal.”
Injuries have been a persistent issue for Young. The Ohio State product has played a total of 43 games across four NFL seasons and has never completed a full campaign. However, 2024 might be different for the former No. 2 overall pick.
“I haven’t seen any limitations at all out of him, other than it’s really kind of been a while since he’s really been playing real football,” Allen added. “Just trying to get his football legs under him a little bit, and I like the progress.”
Can Chase Young Finally Meet Expectations with the Saints?
When Washington selected Young with the second pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, expectations were sky-high. Young was expected to be a dominant force, and early on, he showed his immense potential. In 15 games during his rookie season, Young recorded 44 tackles, 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and a defensive touchdown, earning a Pro Bowl appearance.
Since then, it has been a challenging journey for Young. He tore his ACL nine games into his sophomore season and was limited to just three games in 2022, during which he accumulated only 1.5 sacks. The 25-year-old missed last year’s season opener with the Commanders due to a stinger but went on to have a solid bounce-back year, finishing with 25 tackles and 7.5 sacks between Washington and the San Francisco 49ers (he was traded at the deadline in late October).
Despite this improvement, it’s still not the level of production expected when Young left college. Now on a one-year deal with the Saints, Young has to prove himself in 2024.
This detailed update provides a comprehensive look at Chase Young’s current status and his potential impact on the Saints for the upcoming season.
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