Chase Young signs a $13 million deal with the Saints

Defensive lineman Chase Young has signed a one-year, $13 million guaranteed contract with the New Orleans Saints, sources on Monday.

The Saints announced the deal but did not disclose terms.

Young, who was traded from the Washington Commanders to the San Francisco 49ers last season, visited the Saints on Monday and likes the defensive lineup, sources Said.

“I definitely plan to add a good piece,” Young said in a video conference with New Orleans reporters Monday night. “I’m going to let my play do the talking.”

The 49ers acquired Young at the trade deadline, sending the compensatory a third-round pick in return to strengthen their talent as an edge rusher.

In San Francisco, Young was a key part of the Niners’ rushing packages, working behind Clelin Ferrell in obvious passing situations. In his nine regular season games with the 49ers, he had 2.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss with 16 pressures. He also was sacked in the 49ers’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.

This season, the 24-year-old Young set career highs with 7.5 sacks, 25 tackles for loss and 41 pressures between Washington and San Francisco.

Young was selected by the Commanders with the second overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. His right ACL tear in 2021 kept him out of the game for the majority of 2022; in two seasons, he played in just 12 games.

The Saints have been in the pass rusher market since last fall, but made no move at last year’s trade deadline. The Saints finished the 2023 season ranked 28th with 34 sacks, their lowest number since 2016.

The Saints invested their top draft picks in pass rushers, selecting Peyton Turner in the first round of the 2021 draft and Isiah Foskey in the second round of the 2023 draft. , but neither had a sack last year. Foskey was a healthy player for most of the season, while Turner played in just two games due to injury.

Last November, the Saints signed contract extensions with 34-year-old Cameron Jordan and 27-year-old Carl Granderson. With 12.5 sacks in the 2021 season, Jordan—a first-round selection in 2011—became the last pass-rusher selected by the Saints to record double-digit sacks. Despite overcoming many injuries to participate in every game the previous season, he recorded 2.5 sacks.