"I was able to see him as a very young player and then when I got to the Niners (in '24 as assistant head coach/defense), he had just been with them in the Super Bowl," Staley said. "So, I got to see that jump as a player and then when I got here, one more year. I feel like I've been able to follow his career pretty closely.
"He's one of these guys who has just improved a lot later than what people maybe expected or whatever with him being the second overall pick and Defensive Rookie of the Year. He faced a lot of tough things that all pro players go through, and he was able to overcome them and still put himself in a position to be an impactful player. And I think what he did last year was take a much bigger step toward being a feature, premium player in this league.
"That's what he expects from himself, that's what we know he is and who he can be, and he gets to build on a really special season. We're excited about his progress, he just needs to stay the course."
Part of Young's course this offseason was taking on more of a leadership role on defense; linebacker and team captain Demario Davis signed with the Jets as an unrestricted free agent, and Saints all-time sack leader [Cameron Jordan](/team/players-roster/cameron-jordan/), another defensive captain, was absent until signing a one-year contract Tuesday.
"I think when you have a successful season and you're building, confidence comes from that and I think you can sense that from Chase," Moore said. "Also, when Cam wasn't around... there's a leadership void there for Chase, for Grando ([Carl Granderson](/team/players-roster/carl-granderson/)), for Chris Rumph — these guys that have been here, to help lead that group."
As much as Young has helped the group, he has helped himself by adding pieces to provide a more complete picture.
"Just the leadership aspect, the intangibles, he has taken a real jump there," Staley said. "And then within his game, just becoming a consistent all-around player. A playmaker in all phases of his game and taking pride in all phases of his game. He's been fun to coach, he continues to improve."