 }})
Yahoo! Sports - News, Scores, Standings, Rumors
Guest
We sit at 100 days from the 2025 regular season opener for the New Orleans Saints. Wearing No. 99 for the Saints this season, his second year with the team, is defensive end Chase Young. Here's a look at Chase Young's career so far and his impact for the Saints.
After a standout high school career at DeMatha Catholic in Maryland, Young was one of the top recruits in the country before landing at Ohio State. He contributed 3.5 sacks and 6 tackles for loss as a freshman in 2017 before becoming a key figure in the Buckeyes defense. Over his last two collegiate campaigns, Young had 27 sacks and 37 tackles for loss while forcing 8 fumbles. His 21 stops for loss and school-record 16.5 sacks in 2019 both led the Big 10. They were also paramount in first team All-American honors as well as winning the Bronko Nagurski, Chuck Bednarik, and Ted Hendricks Awards.
Young was the first defensive player selected and the second player overall behind quarterback Joe Burrow in the 2020 NFL draft. He was an instant force for the Washington defense. As a rookie, Young forced 4 fumbles while recording 7.5 sacks, 12 QB hits, and 10 tackles for loss. Those numbers earned him the 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Over the next two years, however, Young's effectiveness was limited by injuries. He appeared in only 12 of a possible 34 games in 2021 and 2022, managing just 1.5 sacks and 3 tackles for loss.
In 2023, Young got off to a good start with 5 sacks in his first seven games before being traded by Washington to San Francisco at the deadline. He'd have 3.5 sacks and 10 pressures for the 49ers in 12 games, including playoffs. That offseason, the Saints brought Young in on a one-year contract.
Young led the 2024 Saints with 21 QB hits and 34 pressures. However, those resulted in just 5.5 sacks and 8 tackles for loss. Recovering from offseason neck surgery, New Orleans saw enough in Young to re-sign him to a three-year contract extension worth a reported $51 million dollars this offseason. He's expected to be a key figure in a defense that ranked 30th overall, 31st against the run, and which had only 39 sacks last season.
Brandon Staley was hired this offseason to be the Saints' new defensive coordinator. Staley is expected to incorporate more 3-4 concepts in the scheme. As such, Young will likely see more reps as a stand-up rusher. This may highlight Young's athleticism in space. He'll need to return to his 2020 Rookie of the Year form as a critical part of the Saints' defensive improvement.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Countdown to Kickoff: Chase Young is the Saints Player of Day 99
Continue reading...
- Name (Age): Chase Young (26)
- Hometown: Hyattsville, Md.
- Position: Defensive end
- Height, weight: 6-foot-5, 265 pounds
- Relative Athletic Score: N/A
- College: Ohio State Buckeyes
- Drafted: 2nd overall in 2020 (Washington Commanders)
- NFL experience: 6 seasons
- 2025 salary cap hit: $6,842,000
After a standout high school career at DeMatha Catholic in Maryland, Young was one of the top recruits in the country before landing at Ohio State. He contributed 3.5 sacks and 6 tackles for loss as a freshman in 2017 before becoming a key figure in the Buckeyes defense. Over his last two collegiate campaigns, Young had 27 sacks and 37 tackles for loss while forcing 8 fumbles. His 21 stops for loss and school-record 16.5 sacks in 2019 both led the Big 10. They were also paramount in first team All-American honors as well as winning the Bronko Nagurski, Chuck Bednarik, and Ted Hendricks Awards.
Young was the first defensive player selected and the second player overall behind quarterback Joe Burrow in the 2020 NFL draft. He was an instant force for the Washington defense. As a rookie, Young forced 4 fumbles while recording 7.5 sacks, 12 QB hits, and 10 tackles for loss. Those numbers earned him the 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Over the next two years, however, Young's effectiveness was limited by injuries. He appeared in only 12 of a possible 34 games in 2021 and 2022, managing just 1.5 sacks and 3 tackles for loss.
In 2023, Young got off to a good start with 5 sacks in his first seven games before being traded by Washington to San Francisco at the deadline. He'd have 3.5 sacks and 10 pressures for the 49ers in 12 games, including playoffs. That offseason, the Saints brought Young in on a one-year contract.
Young led the 2024 Saints with 21 QB hits and 34 pressures. However, those resulted in just 5.5 sacks and 8 tackles for loss. Recovering from offseason neck surgery, New Orleans saw enough in Young to re-sign him to a three-year contract extension worth a reported $51 million dollars this offseason. He's expected to be a key figure in a defense that ranked 30th overall, 31st against the run, and which had only 39 sacks last season.
Brandon Staley was hired this offseason to be the Saints' new defensive coordinator. Staley is expected to incorporate more 3-4 concepts in the scheme. As such, Young will likely see more reps as a stand-up rusher. This may highlight Young's athleticism in space. He'll need to return to his 2020 Rookie of the Year form as a critical part of the Saints' defensive improvement.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Countdown to Kickoff: Chase Young is the Saints Player of Day 99
Continue reading...