Source: Chase Young to have neck procedure, miss part of camp

NEW ORLEANS — Saints defensive end Chase Young is expected to miss part of training camp after undergoing neck surgery, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday.

Young signed a one-year contract worth a guaranteed $13 million after visiting the Saints on Monday. The Saints were among the teams aware of the neck issue and felt comfortable moving forward with the signing, a source told Schefter.

Young missed the Washington Commanders' season opener last season due to a neck injury suffered in the first preseason game. While Young was initially expected to delay his return until Week 3, he played the following week and did not miss another game in 2023.

He had five sacks for the Commanders before being traded to the San Francisco 49ers after Week 8. He finished the season with 7.5 combined sacks and also had a sack in Super Bowl LVIII.

The Commanders selected Young with the second pick in the 2020 draft out of Ohio State. Young had 7.5 sacks in his rookie season, but only played in 12 games from 2021-22 after tearing his right ACL and rupturing a patella tendon in 2021.

Young isn't the only Saints player who isn't ready for training camp at the moment. Linebacker Nephi Sewell, who tore his ACL last fall, is also expected to miss time, Saints coach Dennis Allen said at the NFL scouting meeting in February.