Orlando, Florida Coach Dennis Allen stated he didn’t anticipate the defensive end would be available when he initially learned the New Orleans Saints were interested in acquiring Chase Young.
Despite the health setbacks the 24-year-old has experienced throughout his first four seasons, pass rushers with Young’s pedigree—a former No. 2 overall choice with a Defensive Rookie of the Year plaque on his shelf—don’t usually come cheap. Could the Saints truly outbid other teams for his services if many clubs were fighting for his services?

Allen knew the Saints had a better opportunity than a puncher’s chance early in the process. Real and reciprocal interest was there.
Allen predicted that “he’s going to be a really nice asset for our defense.”
Perhaps at this point in his career, most people wouldn’t equate Young with the word asset. Not with a medical background so dubious that it supposedly caused teams to hesitate around the trade deadline in 2018 as well as during free agency.

The Saints maintain that they are guilt-free. Both general manager Mickey Loomis and Allen stated this week that New Orleans examined Young thoroughly and felt comfortable with his knee, which he severely injured in 2021, and his neck, which needed surgery and was operated on just days after New Orleans signed Young to a $13 million, one-year contract.

“Look, it’s not a matter of if he’s going to heal and be fine,” was the sentiment expressed by everyone we spoke to, which I believe was beneficial for all of us concerned. “The only question was when,” Allen remarked on Tuesday. “I believe that the timetables we have work well for us.”
A day earlier, Loomis stated, “We were aware that he was going to need some work, and we’re optimistic about that.”
Young’s neck injury is thought to have been caused by a stinger he took during a preseason game against the Washington Commanders in August. Young’s injury delayed his return to full strength for over a month and kept him out of Washington’s season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. Although Young came back the next week, he was apparently upset by it all year.

When Allen and Loomis saw the defensive end play last season, they both claimed they could tell Young’s injury had an impact on his play. Rather, Allen claimed he observed how frequently Young was able to prevail in one-on-one situations.
Allen stated, “This year, we need to get better at it.”
Young tied a career best last season with 7½ sacks, but his total was divided unevenly between two clubs. Young had five sacks in his first seven games with the Commanders, but after being moved to the San Francisco 49ers, he lost steam in his final nine games. With a sack in the Super Bowl and another hit that drove Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes into an intentional grounding call, he finished the season on a high note for himself.

Allen grinned and remarked, “In my mind, it  was like two sacks in the Super Bowl.” Therefore, I do believe that he is still a young, developing player, which excites me.

Young was seen as a generational pass rusher coming out of the 2020 draft, but he hasn’t proven that yet. Perhaps the largest obstacle to that development has been Young’s knee injury, which occurred nine games into his second season

To get back on track, he needed surgery on both knees. He tore his patellar tendon in addition to rupturing his right ACL, necessitating the grafting of the tendon from his left knee by medical professionals in order to heal the right one. Young took so long to recover that he didn’t return until three games remained in the 2022 campaign. He didn’t appear to be the same player during those performances.

The Saints “feel fine,” according to Loomis, about Young’s knee, which was checked out during his team’s physical.

Young’s deal also includes clauses that give New Orleans some financial relief if he is unable to play, such as a sizable per-game roster bonus of up to over $8 million. Even though the Saints’ senior brass has voiced a great deal of trust in Young, that alone shows that they recognize the danger involved in signing him.

The possible gain did not outweigh the risk.

“He’s quite gifted,” Allen remarked.