Chase Young gave the New Orleans Saints exactly the kind of season that can change the way a defense looks on paper. The contract looked like a bargain by the end of last year, because Young finally played like the player people expected when he came out of college. What comes next is the part that matters most: staying healthy and doing it again.
The production was stronger than the raw totals might suggest. Young posted 10 sacks in just 12 games, which was a season high, and the way he got there mattered as much as the number itself.
He was bringing consistent pressure, not just popping up in one or two games. Stretch that over a full 17-game season, and 13-14 sacks starts to look very realistic.
That kind of jump is exactly why Young looms so large for New Orleans in 2026. In Year 1, he created pressure without finishing enough plays.
In Year 2, he cleaned that up. If that trend holds, the Saints may have the kind of edge presence that can tilt a defense.
And that’s the bigger picture here: the Saints have plenty of players who could be good or even really good, but Young is the closest thing they have to a star. If New Orleans is going to become a truly strong defense, it needs at least one player who can bend the game. At a premium position like edge rusher, one difference-maker can go a long way.
For Young, that means showing up in the biggest moments - third downs, fourth quarters, the snaps when games tighten. Cam Jordan’s return got the offseason attention, but Young is the top guy in the room.
His value goes beyond the pass rush, too. A star edge rusher changes life for the secondary because corners and safeties don’t have to hold up as long. Young is also a good run defender, so his rise would affect every level of the Saints defense.
The strip sack turned touchdown against the Tennessee Titans showed exactly what makes him dangerous. That play could have been just another sack, or even a routine strip sack. Instead, Young got to the ball so fast that Cam Ward went straight to the ground on contact, and Young still ripped it away before Ward or the ball could hit the turf.
That’s the kind of snap that separates good players from special ones. Plenty of defenders can go after the ball.
Young has already shown he can turn a play into a game-changer. The Saints are hoping that becomes the norm.
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Saints Camp Battle Could Force A Defensive Line Shakeup
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Brandon Staleys arrival as defensive coordinator adds another layer to the fight, because the way New Orleans uses its interior linemen could change along with the scheme. The Saints want a sturdier run defense and more flexibility from snap to snap, which makes this more than a simple numbers game. By the end of camp, the real question may not be who is on the field, but how many of those spots are actually open. [Read more 🡒]
Spencer Rattler Enters A Preseason That Could Change Everything
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For Rattler, the stakes are broader than one roster spot. The preseason will be his stage to show other teams what he can do in limited snaps, and the Saints still view him as a valuable piece even as they weigh whether to keep him or listen if the right offer comes along. How he plays over the next few weeks could shape not just the depth chart, but the next stop in his career. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Camp Could Flip Three Key Position Battles Fast
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Brock Rechsteiner has a path if the receiver room opens up, especially if the ball security issues around him keep showing up, while the interior line picture could shift if Jeremiah Wright keeps developing at the right pace. Add in the quarterback competition behind the starter, and this is the kind of camp where a few strong weeks can change the conversation fast, even if the final answers are still a little ways off. [Read more 🡒]