Chase Young ahead of schedule thanks to aggressive approach in rehab

Chase Young is progressing rapidly. The New Orleans Saints bet big on the defensive end as their top acquisition in free agency, and while it’s very early it’s tough to not be encouraged by the growth he’s showing at training camp. Young missed the spring while recovering from neck surgery but he was already on the field for team drills by the fifth day of training camp practices, the first in pads.

He’s ahead of schedule according to Saints head coach Dennis Allen. “Once he met with the doctors when we got here on the 22nd, and he was cleared by the doctor for full participation, so I think at that point we probably accelerated this timeline just a little bit from where we probably initially thought it would be or potentially could be. I like where he’s at right now.”

Young only worked in team drills for three pass-rushing snaps, which Allen said was by design. They want to see Young knock off the rust and get used to hitting other people again before they hand him a heavy workload: “We’re going to continue to be smart with him. Each day you’ll see him ramp up more and more every day.”

Allen said it was a team effort — credit belongs not just to the doctor who performed the surgery and the Saints training staff who helped him recover, but to Young himself for his aggressive, disciplined approach to rehab.

“He did everything that our training staff asked him to do, to a ‘T,'” Allen said. “He worked extremely hard at it. Man, I’m excited about seeing what he can do.”

Motivation was the concern for Young as a free agent. He was criticized for taking plays off after his high-profile trade to the San Francisco 49ers last season and not giving his best effort on every down. But Allen sees a player who is driven to succeed. Young may have not lived up to his draft status as a former second overall pick, but this prove-it deal with the Saints could earn him a life-changing contract in 2025. He’s working hard to earn it, and that’s great news for the black and gold.