Depending on what happens in the coming months, the Los Angeles Chargers may find themselves in dire need of a pass rusher.
Khalil Mack is slated to hit free agency, and Joey Bosa’s future with the Chargers is in question.
Heck, even if Mack and Bosa both return, it still wouldn’t hurt Los Angeles to add another edge rusher to the equation.
There should be a bunch of interesting options available for the Chargers in free agency, and David Latham of Last Word On Sports has identified a very intriguing candidate for them: New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young.
“The Los Angeles Chargers had one of the league’s better pass rushes last year, but the unit could look dramatically different in 2025,” Latham wrote. “Impending free agent Khalil Mack is contemplating retirement, while former first-round pick Joey Bosa will probably be a cap casualty. Tuli Tuipulotu is a fine rotational player, but a coach like Jim Harbaugh will probably look for a better option in free agency. Harbaugh believes games are won and lost in the trenches, which could make him steal Chase Young from the Saints.”
Young signed a one-year deal with New Orleans last year and played in every game this past season, logging 31 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 21 quarterback hits. He recorded a solid 66.4 overall grade at Pro Football Focus.
The 25-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Ohio State, was originally selected by the Washington Commanders with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Young made the Pro Bowl during his rookie campaign but then saw his growth stunted by a torn ACL the following season. He appeared in just 12 contests between 2021 and 2022, totaling 1.5 sacks.
The Commanders traded Young to the San Francisco 49ers midway through 2023, and in 16 games between both squads last year, he had a bit of a resurgence, amassing 25 tackles and 7.5 sacks.
There is no doubt that Young remains a compelling player given his age and talent, but the Chargers should also be careful not to overpay for the Upper Marlboro, Md. native.
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