New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (calf) has been cleared to play and will make his season debut against the New England Patriots after practicing in full on Friday.
Young, who missed the first five games of the season with a calf injury, returned to practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday and has no injury designation headed into Sunday’s game.
Chase Young Ready to Shine Again
“Chase has just done so much, we’re so happy to see him out on the field,” said Saints head coach Kellen Moore. “He deserves it, he’s earned it. Nothing’s been easy on this path for him. He’s had an excellent week of practice, he’s done an excellent job, and certainly there’ll be some juice, some excitement for him. It’ll bring some extra juice for the other guys as well.”
The Saints signed Young to a three-year, $51 million contract extension in March, signaling their expectation for him to become the team’s primary edge rusher. That role had long belonged to Cameron Jordan, but the plan was for Jordan to take a reduced role and rotate in behind Young and Carl Granderson, whose four-year, $52 million deal establishes him as the No. 2 option opposite Young.
“Just more depth. Obviously with (Granderson) and ( Jordan) taking a ton of reps, getting Chase in there will help that rotation a little bit,” Moore said. “Chris (Rumph) will still be rolling and so we feel like, now you got four players that are all rotating a healthy dose in there and think that’d be great to keep those guys fresh and ready.”
GettyGREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – DECEMBER 23: Chase Young #99 of the New Orleans Saints leaves the field following a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on December 23, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Saints 34-0. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Young’s injury derailed those plans early in the season, but now the vision crafted by head coach Dennis Allen and defensive coordinator Brandon Staley can finally take shape. The Saints will be hoping his return makes an impact against a surging Patriots squad led by second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
Alvin Kamara Has Ankle Injury, Likely to Play
Running back Alvin Kamara also appeared on the injury report this week ahead of the game. To complicate matters, the Saints have started giving backup running back Kendre Miller a larger share of the workload amid ongoing trade rumors surrounding Kamara. It appears the team may be evaluating Miller more closely before deciding whether to move on from their veteran back.
Alvin Kamara hurt his ankle in practice on Wednesday and was limited in practice, though he stated it actually originated during the previous Sunday’s win against the Giants. While coach Kellen Moore initially described it as a minor, non-concerning injury, Kamara’s participation for the upcoming game was initially listed as questionable, but it appears he will suit up.
Kamara told reporters on Thursday that he’s feeling good, and Moore added that he’s been training well throughout the week.
“Just something in the game that I thought wasn’t that serious really. It was really not that serious, but just a little soreness,” Kamara said.
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