Chase Young is still far from dominant for Saints
Remember when Chase Young was being measured for a gold jacket before he'd even played a down in the pros? The No. 2 pick from 2020's class has never looked worthy of a place in Canton. Not with the Washington Commanders, nor with the San Francisco 49ers to finish last season, and not with the New Orleans Saints during this current campaign.
The Saints got Young on a year's rental to see if the jacket would finally fit, but it's still pinching. So much so, that he was before the league's deadline in November.
Speculation Young will be one and done in New Orleans isn't going away. Not when Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox thinks NFC South rivals the Atlanta Falcons will make an offseason push for the defensive end who promises more than he delivers.
Knox believes Young "has responded well" to pressure to prove himself with the Saints, but 3.5 sacks and 19 pressures are not the numbers of a truly dominant pass-rusher. Instead, those statistics show the former Ohio State phenom is still a disruptor who has trouble finishing with enough big plays.
Just contrast what Young is doing for the Saints with the return the Commanders have gotten from the modest contract they handed Dante Fowler Jr. His 8.5 sacks are proof of how easy it's been to replace someone who was supposed to be a franchise cornerstone.
Circumstances have hampered Kendall Fuller with the Dolphins
What's with the exodus from Washington to the AFC East? It's a mystery for another time, but the next batch of Commanders free agents should think twice about treading the same path, based on how this year's crop has fared in the other conference.
Kendall Fuller was perhaps the most consistent member of perennially disappointing pass defenses on Ron Rivera's watch. Smart, versatile, and physical, the cornerback looked like a steal for the Miami Dolphins. Unfortunately, circumstances have hardly favored the player or team.
Specifically, Fuller has suffered two concussions since his move to Hard Rock Stadium. Those setbacks have kept the ninth-year pro sidelined for three games and counting.
In the process, Fuller is missing valuable minutes of a recent defensive revival for the suddenly upward-trending Dolphins. He's a starter when healthy, so the former Virginia Tech star will soon play his way off a list like this once he gets back onto the field.
If he does, Fuller will count as a rare member of last season's team missed by a 2024 group undermined by an inconsistent defense, struggling up front and on the back end.