After missing just one game in his previous two seasons due to a knee injury, Chase Young returned this season. However, his free agent market did not impress. The former No. 2 overall selection agreed to a deal with the Saints that has proven to include significant roster bonuses paid on a per-game basis. There is one more obstacle because of his impending neck surgery.
Young received a $13 million contract from New Orleans, but it is conditional upon the former starter for San Francisco and Washington suiting up. Over the course of the last week, Young visited three teams: the Saints, Titans, and Panthers. However, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer, none of them were able to clear the Ohio State graduate on his physical. Players who fail a physical often end up signing a free agency contract because organizations frequently include players who have had prior injuries that require rehabilitation into their rosters.
Young missed Week 1 of last year’s season after getting a neck injury during a preseason game. After making a full recovery, he continued to play, finishing the season with 7.5 sacks while playing for both the 49ers and the Commanders. Washington lowered its asking price, and San Francisco ended up acquiring Young in return for a third-round compensatory pick. Although Breer notes that the NFC North club was sufficiently alarmed by Young’s neck scans to shift their course, the Bears were one of the other teams who were considering Young. As a result, Montez Sweat traveled to Chicago and agreed to a four-year, $98 million upper-class deal.