The New Orleans Saints have quite a few players set to enter free agency, but Chase Young is the biggest name of the group, and one player that really isn’t expected to be back. He signed with the Saints last offseason, coming to the team on a one-year prove-it deal, and many analysts believe he accomplished what he needed to.
The veteran defensive end only recorded 5.5 sacks, but had 34 total pressures, and that will entice teams that need help on the edge. The question is: which teams?
3. Carolina Panthers
During the 2024 offseason, when Chase Young was also a free agent, he was deciding between the Carolina Panthers and the Saints. Now, a year later, not much has changed; Young is a free agent again and both teams still need edge rushers. This time around, Young may go with the Panthers.
Carolina has the cap space to offer Young a better deal than New Orleans, and with the way the Panthers ended last season, they’ll likely navigate this offseason with the optimism of a team that should be competitive next season. Young could help them on that journey.
2. Detroit Lions
Being competitive is no longer a hope for the Detroit Lions, it’s an expectation. In fact, Detroit is now a Super Bowl-or-bust team, which is hard to believe for veteran NFL fans. Continuing to build the defense could be what’s needed for the Lions to get over the hump, and adding an edge defender like Chase Young would be a great step.
Detroit will welcome Aidan Hutchinson back next season, after he missed the majority of last year with a severe leg injury. The 2023 Pro Bowl defensive end is ready to get his promising career back on track, and all Lions fans want to see him play opposite of another good edge rusher.
1. Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals have one of the better rosters in the entire NFL, and when that’s the case, teams are faced with the privileged challenge of trying to pay everyone. That can go two different ways. A general manager could work magic and figure out a way to pay everyone like Howie Roseman and the Philadelphia Eagles, or you could end up franchise tagging players and making others available for trade like the Bengals.
Cincinnati recently lost Sam Hubbard to retirement, and the team also made the reigning sack leader Trey Hendrickson, available for trade. If Hendrickson is ultimately traded, the bengals will desperately need defensive ends, and Chase Young could be their guy. He may not go get 17.5 sacks like Hendrickson, but he will provide solid production for far less money.