New Saints signing Chase Young already facing an obstacle in New Orleans

New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young is expected to miss part of training camp after undergoing a neck procedure, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Young signed a fully guaranteed one-year, $13 million contract with the Saints on Monday.

The injury is unlikely to affect the New Orleans' 2024 campaign. The Saints were aware of Young's neck injury and were among several teams that were comfortable with signing him anyway.

Saints DE Chase Young will miss part of training camp due to injury

Young initially sustained the neck injury during the first preseason game in 2023. The injury was expected to keep him sidelined for the first three weeks of the season, but Young returned to the field after missing just the season opener. He was playing on the final year of his contract, which gave the edge defender plenty of reason to put off any procedure until the end of the season. Young did not miss a game for the remainder of the 2023 season and finished with 7.5 sacks.

Young also visited the Carolina Panthers, but the Saints ultimately beat their NFC South rivals in acquiring the 24-year-old edge defender. Young entered the league with high expectations as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He met those expectations and recorded 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, and four forced fumbles. Young was named the 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year while earning a Pro Bowl nod.

The budding star appeared in just 12 games over the next two years due to a torn ACL ligament and a ruptured patellar tendon. Young was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, the final year of his rookie contract. Throughout the season, Young struggled to perform consistently and faced heavy criticism for his effort and poor run discipline. He struggled in the Niners' NFC Championship Game victory against the Detroit Lions, but he responded with a better performance in Super Bowl LVIII.

While Young's poor 2023 campaign and injury history may sour some fans, he has incredible upside. He's only 24 years old and has room to develop. As for the injury, he has plenty of incentive to return to the field and play well considering the short-term nature of his deal. Young could prove to be a value signing for a New Orleans team that didn't have much salary cap space to pursue more coveted free agents.