After losing a pair of tiebreakers last season, the New Orleans Saints failed to make the playoffs. To rectify that mistake, the team can pursue defensive end Chase Young and sign him away from the San Francisco 49ers.
For the third consecutive season, the Saints haven’t grabbed a playoff spot in the NFL. This resulted in another wasted year for Derek Carr, which could have been used in a credible run for the postseason.
The Saints’ disappointing finish comes after an offense that’s ranked ninth in the league and a defense that’s eight out of 32 teams. Even with a top-10 performance on both sides of field, New Orleans still managed to miss the playoffs.
One way of helping the team contend is by signing talented players in free agency. One of those is the 49ers’ Chase Young to bolster the Saints’ defensive lineup.
Why The New Orleans Saints Must Sign Chase Young In Free Agency
Even if the Saints have an eight-place defense in the NFL, there can still be room for improvement. Aaron Schatz explained more in his article for ESPN:
“The biggest need here is pretty obvious, as New Orleans ranked 31st in pass rush win rate and 31st in adjusted sack rate. There are several strong free agent edge rushers, and the Saints need to find one who fits their budget. The best option might be a one-year, prove-it contract for Young. He couldn’t stay healthy in 2021 and 2022, and while he had 7.5 sacks in 2023, his game fell off after he was dealt to San Francisco in the middle of the season.
Young ranked 15th among edge rushers with a 19.3% pass rush win rate off the edge, but that went from 24.8% while he was with Washington to just 12.9% with San Francisco (through the playoffs). On a one-year deal with New Orleans, Young could play opposite Cameron Jordan and prove he still has all the talent that made him the No. 2 overall pick in 2020,” Schatz wrote.
Getting Young from San Francisco will be a massive win for the Saints. Even on a one-year deal, the defensive end can still make an impact for New Orleans.
It remains to be seen what the Saints will do or where Young will end up. In any case, it’d be best to keep an eye on both parties in the coming days.
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