NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Saints have been looking for their next great pass-rusher since selecting Cameron Jordan with the 24th pick of the 2011 draft.
But in the decade since their franchise sack leader arrived, they've mostly struck out through the draft. Jordan, now 34, is potentially on his last contract, and the Saints haven't appeared to select his future replacement. So they went a different direction: On Monday, New Orleans signed former Washington Commanders and San Francisco 49ers defensive end Chase Young to a one-year deal in free agency.
The contract is worth $13 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler.
"I'm going to let my play do the talking, but I definitely want to bring my best and put my best foot forward," Young said on Monday after his signing.
Young's signing is an attempt to bolster a pass rush that struggled last season. The unit finished 28th with 34 sacks, down from 48 sacks in 2022 and the lowest total since it finished with 30 in 2016. But New Orleans is also gambling that Young, who played in 12 games between 2021 and 2022 following an ACL tear and ruptured patellar tendon, will be able to provide something their draft picks have not so far.
The team is also wagering that their investment will pan out after they appeared to reverse course on their intention to scale back free agency spending in order to get their salary cap back to the middle. The Saints have been mostly quiet in free agency, signing linebacker Willie Gay, a tackle, a safety and a few receivers to small deals.
Young is clearly their big splash of free agency, and the Saints pursued him with a recruiting dinner over the weekend.
"It went great. Went out to dinner, ate well, had great convos," Young said.
The dinner involved some of the coaching staff and safety Tyrann Mathieu, who was clearly excited to have Young in the mix.
"LETS GEAUX!!!!," Mathieu wrote on his X account after Young's signing.
The Saints have a lengthy injury history at this position in recent years. 2021 first-round pick Payton Turner played in only five games that season due to a shoulder injury and missed most of the 2023 season with a toe injury. Marcus Davenport, a 2018 first-round pick who cost the Saints significant draft capital, missed part of the 2019 season with a foot injury, part of the 2021 season with a shoulder injury and underwent multiple surgeries prior to the 2022 season that resulted in the partial amputation of his left pinky finger.
Trey Hendrickson, a 2017 third-round pick, could have been their biggest success story. But he signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2021 free agency period. With Cincinnati, he had 39.5 sacks in three seasons. Multiple knee injuries also ended the two-season career of 2015 second-round pick Hau'oli Kikaha. 2023 second-round pick Isaiah Foskey was a healthy scratch for much of last season.
Young, the second overall pick in the 2020 draft, had 7.5 sacks as a rookie but missed most of the 2021 and 2022 seasons due to his ACL and patellar tendon injuries. He was traded to the Niners midway through last season, finishing with 7.5 sacks between the two teams and registering a sack in San Francisco's Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City.
A source also told Schefter that Young will miss part of training camp because he needs to undergo a procedure on his neck. The Saints were aware of the neck issue, but felt comfortable moving forward with the signing. Young missed the Commanders' season opener last year due a neck stinger he sustained in the preseason.
"Injuries definitely hindered a few things, but it's all good," Young said. "It's all about the process, all about the journey. I know what I can do, and I'm a man of God, he's still giving me opportunities to prove it."
If Young enters the season healthy, he would likely be put into the rotation immediately next to Jordan and Carl Granderson, who led the team with 8.5 sacks.
The addition of Young could make some of the reserve defensive ends expendable. Veteran reserve Tanoh Kpassagnon has a $3.3 million cap hit with no guarantees remaining on his deal, and Turner has a $3.9 million cap hit in the final year of his rookie deal with no guarantees remaining.
Young, 24, said he was "blessed" to be with the Commanders and Niners and appreciates the opportunities they gave him, but he is looking forward to adding to the Saints' pass rush.
"We have a great defense. ... I feel like there's weapons all over the field ... I definitely plan to add a good piece to be part of this defense," Young said.
He also said he doesn't see his contract as a prove-it type of deal. When asked if he was excited to prove anything, he shot down the notion, saying it was another opportunity to show what he's capable of doing.
"Really not excited to prove anything to anybody," he said. "I'm just going to go out there and be the best Chase Young I can be. ... I'm still a young player in this game. ... just still on that journey to be the best player I can be."