The Chicago Bears struggled to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks last season. With Montez Sweat only playing 57.68% of the snaps last season, the defense failed to get to the QB on a consistent basis. To address this issue, the Bears need to add another proven edge rusher. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), New Orleans Saints free agent Chase Young could be the solution. Should the Bears make a move to sign the former second-overall pick and outbid the Chargers in free agency?
Bears, Chargers Linked to Saints Pass Rusher Chase Young in Free Agency
PFF Identifies Bears, Chargers as Potential Suitors for Chase Young
PFF ranks Young as the 49th-best free agent available and suggests both Chicago and Los Angeles as possible landing spots. Here’s what they had to say about his potential fit with either team:
“If prioritizing young pass-rushers with high potential is a priority for Los Angeles, Young could fit well within the Chargers’ plans for the future. Although Young has yet to reach the potential that warranted him being selected second overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, he has produced 70 or more pressures in each of the past two seasons. Jim Harbaugh is also quite familiar with Young’s game, having coached against him during Young’s time at Ohio State.
Young’s former head coach in New Orleans, Dennis Allen, was named Ben Johnson’s defensive coordinator in Chicago, so the 25-year-old pass-rusher may very well be a target for this defense in need of a bit more pass-rushing bite. While Young isn’t the perennial All-Pro many thought he would be, he is still a high-end No. 2 edge, evidenced by his top-20 pressure rate (14.6%) in 2024 while playing under Allen.”
It would be fitting for Jim Harbaugh to sign one of his biggest headaches coaching against during his time in Michigan. With Khalil Mack set to hit free agency, the Chargers could look to replace him with a younger option like Young.
As for the Bears, newly hired defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will likely want to bring some of his guys from New Orleans to Chicago. Allen knows Young’s play style, and if he believes he can coach him back to form, then it could be a worthwhile investment for the Bears.
Absolutely wild stuff from Chase Young here https://t.co/dzC7mCHtSC pic.twitter.com/sFhfUorg3h
— Saints Film Room (@SaintsFilmRoom) November 17, 2024
Who Should Sign Chase Young?
Both the Bears and Chargers have nearly identical cap space, with Los Angeles holding just a slight edge—$63.4 million compared to Chicago’s $62.9 million, per OverTheCap. This means the decision won’t come down to finances but rather which team is more willing to commit to Young.
With the Saints carrying a massive -$54 million in cap space, re-signing Young seems unlikely. That leaves teams like Chicago and Los Angeles, both in need of pass-rushing reinforcements, as prime contenders.
If the Chargers part ways with Mack, they would still have Joey Bosa, 2023 second-round pick Tuli Tuipulotu, and veteran Bud Dupree to lean on. The Bears, however, lack a proven second edge rusher. If Chicago plans to address this in the draft—where they hold two second-round picks and a first-round selection in the top 10—they might hesitate to spend big on Young.
Ultimately, time will tell which team makes a serious push for Young, but both remain strong candidates to land him in free agency.
Main Image: Jayne Kamin-Oncea – USA Today Sports
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