New Orleans Saints EDGE rusher Chase Young missed the first five games of the 2025 season with a calf injury, but that did not prevent him from setting career highs in sacks. Young totaled 38 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hits, ten sacks, four batted passes, and two forced fumbles across 12 games. He also posted 49 pressures, 35 hurries, a 15.2% pass-rush win rate, and an 86.3 pass-rush grade, which ranked eighth among qualified EDGE rushers.
Chase Young aims for better health in 2026 and to pick up where he left off in 2025 and record ten sacks for the second straight season.
The New Orleans Saints Pro Bowler could become a first-time All-Pro, per PFF
Dec 15, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) reacts to a score against the Washington Commanders during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
In a PFF article, Bradley Locker identified ten players who could become first-time All-Pros heading into the 2026 NFL season. He named Chase Young, highlighting his immense potential while noting that injuries and inconsistencies have prevented him from reaching his full potential. Locker also added that after returning from injury in Week 6, Young showcased his pass-rushing prowess by totaling 49 pressures and 35 hurries over the final ten games.
“Young has put his prodigious skill on display before, claiming Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020 while with Washington. Injuries and poor performance have led him askew since, but that changed in a big way last season,” Locker said.
“Although Young didn’t play until Week 6 because of a calf issue, he racked up 49 pressures and 35 hurries across only 10 games. More specifically, Young’s 86.3 PFF pass-rush grade ranked eighth among qualified edge rushers, and his 15.2% pass-rush win rate placed in the 79th percentile.
“Staying on the field will be the foremost priority for Young. But there’s no denying that the former second overall pick has the talent to be one of the game’s most disruptive pass-rushers. Playing on a New Orleans team that’s ascending going into this season could also help attract more recognition.”
Brandon Staley is hoping for full health and consistency from Young in 2026
“I think our starting point is going to be different than it was last year,” Staley said, via Ross Jackson of LouisianaSports.Net. “The process is the same, but the starting point is going to be different for him. He understands our standards of his position and how we want him to play.”
“I think he felt that consistency of his performance last year and the benefits of it,” Staley added. “Now it’s about having a full calendar off season, a full calendar training camp, to hopefully start out the right way. Last year, I felt like he had such a good training camp, but then you missed five full weeks, you got to hit reset almost, and that’s tough.”
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