Chase Young signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Saints this offseason, but most of his money is tied to per-game roster bonuses, meaning he has to be on the active roster each week to get it. Which means it’s good news for Young that his head coach sounds optimistic about his ability to contribute this season.
Young had offseason neck surgery, but Saints head coach Dennis Allen says there’s no indication that his health will be a problem.
“He’s certainly ahead of where we thought he was going to be at this point in time and so, I think the ramp up for him is just every day, you’re going to see a little bit more,” Allen said, via the team’s website. “Now, what’s a little bit more? Well, it may be a couple more reps each period until finally, we’re ready to fully incorporate him into the whole deal. I haven’t seen any limitations at all out of him, other than its really kind of been a while since he’s really been playing real football. Just trying to get his football legs up under him a little bit, and I like the progress. I would say he’s exceeded my expectations to this point. . . . He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do, the way we’ve asked him to do it, never has there been any sort of kickback on anything. I’ve been really pleased with that part of it. And I think as you watch practice, I think you can feel it when he’s out there.”
Young was the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year in Washington in 2020, and he looked like he was going to be one of the best defensive ends in the league for years to come. It hasn’t worked out that way, and injuries have been a major problem for him. But a healthy season from Young could be a big boost for the Saints’ defense — and a lucrative year for Young.