Chase Young signing with Saints: Former No. 2 overall pick lands one-year, fully-guaranteed $13 million deal

According to CBS Sports HQ senior NFL insider Josina Anderson, the New Orleans Saints have agreed to terms with former San Francisco 49ers defensive end and former No. 2 overall pick Chase Young on a one-year, fully-guaranteed $13 million deal. Young is one of the top remaining free agents.

At the trade deadline of the previous year, San Francisco traded Washington a compensatory third-round pick in exchange for Young, who was traded from the Washington Commanders to the 49ers. In nine games for the 49ers in 2023, Young racked up six quarterback hits, 2.5 sacks, and 10 total tackles. In addition, he racked up 11 combined tackles during the playoffs and one sack during the Kansas City Chiefs’ defeat in Super Bowl LIII.

Young, a first-round selection of the Commanders in 2020, earned the Pro Bowl and was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after tallying 44 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, and four forced fumbles. But Young’s second season was cut short by an ACL tear, and he only appeared in three games in 2022. Before being traded, Young looked to be on the rise with Washington in 2023, logging seven games played, fifteen combined tackles, five sacks, and nine quarterback hits.

Young joins Cameron Jordan, Carl Granderson, and Payton Turner in New Orleans, a group of gifted pass rushers. With 43 career games played, he has 16.5 sacks to his name. He will be eager to establish himself as a reliable starter in this league.