The New Orleans Saints have to make some more cuts or restructure some more deals ahead of the new league year on March 12th.
New Orleans has made progress in its attempt to get within cap compliance and already has shed roughly $12 million in cap space, per Over The Cap. There was a time in which the Saints were at over -$51 million in cap space and now that number has fallen to over -$39 million in cap space.
There's obviously a lot more work to do and that doesn't even include free agency. The Saints have some really good players heading to the open market, including former Pro Bowler Chase Young.
He joined the Saints on a one-year deal ahead of the 2024 season and had 5.5 sacks in 17 games. He'll be one of the most intriguing pass rushers on the open market because of his age (25 years old) and pedigree as a Pro Bowler and 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Injuries slowed him down, but he's healthy and should play a big role with a team in 2025.
Where could he go?
Pro Football Focus' Bradley Locker called the Chicago Bears the "perfect" landing spot for him.
"Chicago Bears: EDGE Chase Young," Locker said. "After overhauling their interior offensive line in short order, the Bears will probably shift to upgrading their defensive line, especially edge rusher. Young brings both familiarity and fit. During his lone season with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and the Saints in 2024, Young was effective as a pass-rusher, amassing 66 pressures and a 13.7 percent pass-rush win rate.
"Allen’s 4-3 scheme is exactly where Young has flourished in the past few years: Since 2023, his 18.6 percent pass-rush win rate out of the alignment is the eighth best among qualified edge rushers. Even though Young hasn’t yet met the sky-high expectations of being a No. 2 overall pick, he’s rounded into a solid pass-rusher who could command more than anticipated in free agency. Pairing him with Montez Sweat on the outside could inject some juice into the Bears’ defensive front."
Keep an eye on Young when free agency opens next week. He should land a new deal fairly quickly.
