The New York Giants have a knack for winning just enough games to inflict misery on their fanbase without securing the star prospect of their dreams. In 2023, quarterback Tommy DeVito ensured that Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake wouldn't be Giants.
In 2020, the apple of New York's eye was edge rusher Chase Young, but a meaningless victory resulted in the fourth pick heading to East Rutherford. The Washington Commanders, with the second pick, took Young.
Hindsight favored the Giants. Left tackle Andrew Thomas has grown into a better player than Young, emerging as one of New York's building blocks on the trenches.
Now, a half-decade later, fans might finally be getting their wish. Young is headed to free agency, and the Giants could sign the former blue-chip prospect.
Young's career has been turbulent, to say the least. His promising flashes earned him 7.5 sacks and a Defensive Rookie of the Year. The next two years were far less fun, with injuries and inconsistencies limiting him to 1.5 sacks in 13 games.
In 2023, Young was traded to the San Francisco 49ers and rebounded back to 7.5 sacks – encouraging progress, but far from the expectations his pre-draft hype set for him. After a moderately successful season in 2024 with the New Orleans Saints, he's back on the market, and the New York faithful are interested.
However, pass rushing is at a premium, and Young's peripherals, including 66 pressures, tell a different story than his sack numbers.
Teams will be betting on his production to back his ability, and it's clear Young is a starter, if not the phenom he was supposed to be. That will land him a nice next contract, potentially upwards of $15 million per year.
Related: Giants Could Sign First-Round Corner in Free Agency
At that mark, the Giants will likely be fishing in smaller ponds. New York has two starting edge rushers already, and paying up for reinforcements is a luxury that might be hard to afford with quarterback, defensive tackle, receiver, corner, and guard taking priority.
Further, general manager Joe Schoen decided to keep edge rusher Azeez Ojulari at the trade deadline. That was a vote of confidence for continuity, and even though it didn't end well in 2024 – an injury ended his campaign – it could give the Giants a head start on his free agency.
In the search for a third edge rusher, Ojulari and a cast of cheaper options make more sense as next year's depth than Young, who's looking to cash in with a starting role.
Related: 5 Defensive Tackles Giants Must Consider Signing
Copyright 2025 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 8:15 PM.