Saints Star DE Chase Young Predicted To Join NFC South Rival In Free Agency

Not the way New Orleans would draw it up...

Dec 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) looks up at fans before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It could very well be one-and-done for defensive end Chase Young in a New Orleans Saints uniform.

Once the second-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Young never quite lived up to the standard he set in his Rookie of the Year campaign that season with the Washington Football Team. But he rebounded nicely on a one-year contract with the Saints in 2024, setting himself up for a decent free-agent payday.

Unfortunately, when the Saints hear the words "decent payday" this spring, they likely know the sentence doesn't concern them. They're already $47 million over the salary cap for the 2025 season, nearly double the debt of any other team.

As the Saints get to work on restructuring contracts in hopes of creating some sort of wiggle room to sign new players, Young could be scheming to join one of New Orleans' division rivals.

On Tuesday, Sportskeeda's Adam Hulse predicted that Young would join the Atlanta Falcons, who lacked an effective pass rush for much of the 2024 season, when free agency opens next week.

"Chase Young is unlikely to return to the New Orleans Saints this year as they currently have the least available cap space of any team in the NFL," Hulse wrote.

"The Atlanta Falcons narrowly missed out on the playoffs last season, so they appear close to being contenders. Improving their edge rushers in 2025 NFL free agency would take them a step forward after recording the second-fewest team sacks last season."

Still only 25 years old (26 in April), Young has accumulated 22 sacks, 28 tackles for loss, and seven forced fumbles thus far in a five-year career. He had just 5.5 sacks over a full 17-game season in 2024, but set a new career-high with 21 quarterback hits.

If the Saints are resigned to losing Young in free agency, they still won't be thrilled to see him join the Falcons. Quarterback Derek Carr will have to keep his eyes peeled for his old teammate in matchups with the Falcons if this prediction comes to pass.

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