Chase

Young

According to Saints head coach Dennis Allen, Young was apparently cleared for full participation on July 22. Allen said Young will “ramp up more” in the coming days and that he’s done everything that the training staff has asked of him. Young signed a one-year deal with the Saints this offseason after splitting 2023 between the Commanders and the 49ers. It was revealed shortly after he signed with the Saints that he would need to undergo a surgical procedure on his neck, which left him sidelined for much of the offseason. The former No. 2 overall pick is hoping to return to the form that earned him Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020. Young totaled 7.5 sacks and seven TFLs last season and should have a solid role as a pass rusher for the Saints this season.

According to Saints beat writer Nick Underhill, Olave is dealing with “a little back tightness” and is expected to be fine. Olave has totaled 1,000-plus yards in each of his first two seasons in the league while amassing 159 receptions. The 2022 first-rounder is expected to once again serve as the Saints WR1 and should be primed for another productive fantasy season once healthy. We’d expect him to return sooner rather than later. In addition to Olave, the Saints also placed tight end Juwan Johnson and EDGE Chase Young on the PUP list. They can be removed from the list at any time, but are both dealing with injuries from earlier this offseason.

Issues concerning Young’s neck became public shortly after he signed with the Saints, who said they were aware of the injury prior to signing the former No. 2 overall pick. Young totaled 7.5 sacks and seven TFLs last season while splitting time between the Commanders and the 49ers. He underwent a surgical procedure to correct the issue and is expected to undergo more tests in about six weeks, per Fowler. Young signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Saints and is hoping a successful 2024 can lead to a big payday next offseason.

Schefter points out that teams were aware of Young’s neck issue during the offseason, but the Saints were comfortable signing him to a one-year contract earlier this week and don’t believe he will miss time during the 2024 season. It’s obviously a situation to monitor as the offseason goes on but seems, for now, to not be a major issue.

Young’s contract is fully guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The former No. 2 overall pick split time with the Commanders and 49ers last season and finished the year with 25 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and seven TFLs. The 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year has dealt with a torn ACL and questions about his efforts on and off the field in recent years, but now has a chance to begin anew in New Orleans. Pairing with veteran Cameron Jordan, Young will look to bolster a Saints pass rush that ranked 29th in total sacks (34) last season.

The 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year has had an up-and-down start to his career through four seasons. A torn ACL plagued him in 2021 and 2022, but when he finally made it back in 2023, Young managed just 25 tackles and 7.5 sacks while splitting time between the Commanders and 49ers. In addition to his injuries, the former No. 2 overall pick has also had his effort on and off the field drawn into question at times, which may be factoring into his slow start to the legal tampering period. According to Pelissero, “a handful of teams have expressed interest” in signing Young, which isn’t surprising. At just 24 years old, his youth coupled with his potential, will make him an intriguing option for teams looking to upgrade at pass rusher. In addition to the Panthers and Saints, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Young is also expected to meet with the Titans.

The 49ers will now pair 2020 2nd overall pick Chase Young with 2019 second overall pick Nick Bosa. Young has battled injuries over the last two seasons but came into Sunday’s game against the Eagles ranked 11th in the NFL in pass rush win rate among EDGE defenders. On 134 pass-rush plays, he won 32 of his matchups, which gave him a 24 percent win rate. That will be a boost to a 49ers defense that ranks 9th in the NFL in pressure rate but just 19th in sacks with 18 through eight games. The 49ers are on a bye this week, so it gives them more time to get Young acclimated before he likely makes his debut in Week 10.

The Commanders on Tuesday traded EDGE Montez Sweat, in the final year of his contract with Washington, to the Bears in exchange for a 2024 second round draft pick. Dealing Young could signal the team is entering full-blown rebuild mode under new ownership. Young this season has five sacks and six tackles for a loss.

Per Schefter, if the Commanders are sellers at the deadline, “the focus will be on their defensive line.” He notes that Chase Young and Montez Sweat are impending free agents and keeping both will be difficult. Schefter also mentioned trade offers for defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, though he added the caveat that the Commanders told teams they will not listen to offers for him. The Commanders are big underdogs to the Eagles today, so it’s possible they are already working on trades contingent on a loss to Philly. Keeping Young, who is a bit under three years younger than Sweat, would make sense for a rebuilding roster, though the team and Young haven’t had the best of relationships in recent years.

This is the first time Young has been a full-participant in practice since he injured his neck in the first game of the preseason. He was a limited participant in last week’s practices leading up to the season opener against the Cardinals, but was ultimately ruled out more than 24 hours before kickoff. Young being a full-participant in practice would suggest he’s finally been cleared for contact by doctors, giving him a chance to play in Week 2 against the Broncos.