Another Great Addition: Saints Are set to Completed the signing of Former Commanders Defensive Rookie of the Year

Last season, the San Francisco 49ers acquired Chase Young from the Washington Commanders prior to the NFL Trade Deadline. Young had the opportunity to win a Super Bowl and earn a fresh start with the 49ers, who were probably the best team in football. As a free agent, Young will have options and the opportunity to demonstrate that he can be the player he was before his injuries. ESPN’s Aaron Schatz expects he’ll sign with the New Orleans Saints.a

Schatz sees Young as a player who needs to prove himself. The prospect of Young and Nick Bosa lining up together in 2023-24 was alarming, but Young did not dominate as much as expected. That could make teams unwilling to pay him a high salary, especially given his injuries. Young appeared in nine games in 2021, and three in 2022. According to Schatz, the Saints could consider the previous Commanders’ No. 2 choice.

“Well, here we are again, with the Saints needing to restructure a number of contracts. Nonetheless, they always seem to make room for a few free agency additions. The most evident issue here is that New Orleans ranks 31st in both pass rush win rate and adjusted sack rate. There are several quality free agency edge rushers available, and the Saints must choose one that fits within their budget.

“The greatest alternative for Young could be a one-year prove-it contract. He struggled to remain healthy in 2021 and 2022, and while he had 7.5 sacks in 2023, his performance declined after being traded to San Francisco in the midst of the season. Young ranked 15th among edge rushers with a 19.3% pass rush win rate from the edge, but that dropped from 24.8% with Washington to 12.9% with San Francisco (through the playoffs). Young may play opposite Cameron Jordan on a one-year deal with New Orleans, proving he still has all of the talent that propelled him to the No. 2 overall pick in 2020.

Young Should Have Options in Free Agency.
If Young is going to sign a one-year contract, which Schatz believes is the best option, he should have teams lining up at his door come free agency.

The Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, and Detroit Lions, among others, struggled to find a quarterback last season and may be interested in the 24-year-old.

The Washington Commanders will be looking for a pass rusher, but Young has already spent time in Washington, and things did not go as planned. Although he could be the ideal target for their needs, both parties would benefit from moving on completely.

Commanders made the right decision when trading Young.
While the Washington Commanders’ choice to trade Young was difficult given how much they invested in him, it was correct.

Following these injuries, Young has not demonstrated the capacity to be the performer he was during his first season. Young concluded the season with 7.5 sacks, the same number he had as a rookie. He did, however, force four fumbles and make roughly 20 more tackles in one less game as a rookie.

It wasn’t working, so they trimmed their losses.