Former San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Chase Young has earned a spot on ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell’s Midseason NFL All-Pro Team. Young, now with the New Orleans Saints, has recorded 8.0 sacks, five tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, four pass deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery through eight games.
The Saints’ production follows a career-high 10.0 sacks in 12 games in 2025 and five sacks in 2024, his first season in New Orleans. In 2024, he appeared in all 17 regular-season games for the first time in his career, though he did not make a start.
The 49ers selected four players for the midseason team: offensive tackle Trent Williams, tight end George Kittle, quarterback Brock Purdy and inside linebacker Fred Warner. Young spent one season in San Francisco after the team acquired him from the Washington Commanders midway through 2023. He was part of the 49ers team that lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime in Super Bowl LVIII.
“I never felt like somebody could block me,” Young said in a November 12 interview. “My first year with the Saints, when I was top ten in pressures, I wasn’t landing the sacks, but I was winning.”
## Young Could Be in Line for a Major Contract
Young signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Saints in March 2025. His next contract decision is expected to draw attention in 2026, with his current deal running through 2027.
Young missed the first five games of the 2025 season with a calf injury, then recorded a career-high 10 sacks in 12 games. If he continues to produce, the Saints could consider extending him before his contract expires.
## Young’s Career Turnaround
Young began his career with the Commanders by winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and helping the team reach the playoffs in 2020. He finished that season with 44 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, four pass deflections and one defensive touchdown.
His progress was disrupted by a torn ACL suffered in Week 10 of the 2021 season. Young missed 22 of the next 25 regular-season games, including all but three games in 2022. Across that two-season stretch, he recorded 1.5 sacks.
Young returned to form in 2023, posting 7.5 sacks between the Commanders and 49ers after the midseason trade. He played a supporting role in San Francisco’s run to the Super Bowl. He joined New Orleans on a one-year, $13 million contract in 2024 before signing his current deal ahead of the 2025 season.
The Commanders also traded edge rusher Montez Sweat to the Chicago Bears during the 2023 season. Young and Sweat were both first-round picks dealt away midway through the year.
