Chase Young already looks like the steal of the offseason for the Saints

The biggest free agency acquisition for the New Orleans Saints this offseason was signing Chase Young. The veteran defensive end came to New Orleans on a one-year prove-it deal worth $13 million. While it was an exciting move for the Saints, it wasn’t viewed as a big deal throughout the league, as many critics questioned Young’s ability.

Those critics only got louder after Young underwent a neck surgery shortly after signing with New Orleans. However, now that the young defensive end is back on the field, he’s silencing all those critics with his play. While the regular season hasn’t arrived yet, Young has been very impressive for the Saints.

Chase Young has been dominant for the Saints

In the preseason game against his former team, the San Francisco 49ers, Young was everywhere in his limited snaps. He officially finished the game with two tackles and two quarterback hits, but his constant pressure on the quarterback, and chasing of running backs behind the line of scrimmage, made him a star of the second preseason game.

This is consistent with how Young has looked all offseason. Since returning from neck surgery, he has been all over the field making plays in training camp, and he carried that trend into both preseason games so far. The next step is carrying it into the regular season.

The Saints brought Young to New Orleans because they desperately needed to improve the pass rush. In 2023, the team recorded just 34 sacks, which ranked them 28th in the NFL. Contending teams are able to apply far more pressure on quarterbacks. That’s why New Orleans had to go get Young.

Last season, in 16 games, Young recorded 7.5 sacks. He spent time with Washington Commanders and the San Francisco 49ers, getting after the quarterback with both teams. That production came while he was dealing with the neck issue all year.

Now, Young is hoping to bring that production to New Orleans. Playing alongside Cam Jordan and Carl Granderson, the Saints could have a dangerous defensive line. With the linebacker unit and secondary already established as elite groups, the entire defense has a chance to be elite in 2024.

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