Chase Young exceeding expectations in Saints training camp

Maybe the Big Easy will be the place where new Saints defensive end Chase Young will relaunch his career. After all, after a brilliant rookie season, Young’s NFL career has been mostly a string of misses because of a variety of injuries.

Young, the former Ohio State star, was the vaunted No. 2 player in the 2020 NFL Draft. He enjoyed a fabulous rookie season in Washington, earning a spot in the Pro Bowl. He even did something no other rookie defender ever accomplished. In a game against the 49ers, he posted a sack, with two passes defended and a forced fumble. He picked up the fumble and returned it 47 yards for the spectacular scoop six.

But his 2021 season wasn’t nearly as successful. It was all because he suffered a significant knee injury in week 10. The impacts of the injury lingered through 2022, making him expendable for Washington. Finally, the Commanders traded him to the 49ers on Nov. 1, 2023. San Francisco definitely was a better spot for Young. He even notched a sack against Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl.

Now he’s with the Saints. Young needed neck surgery in this off-season. But doctors cleared him for practice on July 22. And Saints coach Dennis Allen is already lauding Young this week as the team rolls into the heat of training camp.

“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 told reporters. “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.”

The Saints coach added: “I haven’t seen any limitations at all out of him, other than it’s 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.”

Reports from Saints training camp at Cal-Irvine suggest Young is dominating the team’s young offensive tackles. And Young acknowledges how healthy he feels.

“Feels good to get out and practice with the guys,” Young told reporters. “I was just doing what I had to do to help speed up my recovery process. What I did, it worked and it was great.”

He added: “I feel like we’ve still got another month until the first game. I’ve been in the weight room every day, still trying to stay on top of my body. I think I’ll be even better in a month.”