Chase Young is leaning into the exact kind of responsibility the Saints need as they move deeper into a new era.
What started as a one-year prove-it deal in 2024 has turned into a much bigger commitment. New Orleans took a chance on Young after he wasn’t playing his best football and, just a day after he arrived, word came that he would need neck surgery. A year later, the bet paid off: Young signed a three-year, $51 million deal to stay in New Orleans after quietly reestablishing himself as one of the league’s better pass rushers over two seasons.
Now the next step is leadership, and Young says he’s ready for it.
“I’m ready man, I been working. I been playing football my whole life for these type of moments.
I’m not the person to shy away from leadership or anything like that. I definitely know that I’m capable of filling the void and I believe I will."
Young also described the way he sees himself in that role, calling his style “loud, talkative, energizer bunny,” and said he wants the Saints to lead as a group - helping one another, picking each other up, and keeping each other accountable.
That kind of voice matters in New Orleans right now. The roster has shifted fast, from a group built around longtime established stars to one filled with younger players across the lineup. The Saints also have a head coach in just his second year as a head coach, along with a second-year quarterback.
Cam Jordan and Alvin Kamara were both brought back this offseason, though this feels like the final ride for both. Demario Davis is already gone, and the Saints are in need of a new leadership core to carry them through the transition. Young is making it clear he expects to be part of that group.
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