2025 Bengals Free Company Highlight: Chase Younger

The NFL is a league that really proves that point is a flat circle. Imagine it or not, there was a contingent of Cincinnati Bengals followers who needed the workforce to draft former Ohio State defensive finish Chase Younger with the No. 1 general decide within the 2020 NFL Draft.

As a substitute, Cincinnati went with the franchise quarterback in Joe Burrow at that spot, they usually haven’t seemed again. Younger has had his personal ebbs and flows in his profession, and whereas there have been disappointments in his first 5 seasons, there have additionally been flashes of greatness that made him the very subsequent decide after Burrow that yr.

Now, there exists a chance that Younger is within the Bengals’ sights for the 2025 offseason, which might be fairly ironic ought to the Bengals land the highest two picks from that crucial draft (to not point out the darkish day that occurred when these two confronted off as rookies). However questions linger from all instructions a couple of transfer like this.

The obvious—and the lowest-hanging fruit—is within the nationwide narrative of the Bengals’ perceived financially frugal methods. Will they discover a solution to hold/lengthen their inner stars and make splashes in outdoors free company?

What about Younger himself? Is he ever going to seek out that elite standing seen in his time as a Buckeye, or is he destined for a path very similar to Jadeveon Clowney? Are the mediocre stat numbers a product of being on largely subpar groups?

Chase Younger

Top: 6-foot-5

Weight: 265

Age: 25 (Turns 26 in April)

Years Professional: Getting into sixth season

Faculty: Ohio State

Quarterback Sacks: 22 (5.5 in 2024)

Tackles For Loss: 28 (8.0 in 2024)

Quarterback Hits: 53 (Profession-high 21 in 2024)

2024 Quarterback pressures: 61 (High 15% in NFL in stress price)

Contract

Younger signed a one-year, $13,000,000 cope with the Saints final yr. He’s set to be a free agent, and Professional Soccer Focus predicts his contract together with his subsequent workforce to common out at about $16-$18 million per yr.

Nonetheless, with some damage points and the dearth of eye-popping stats in his profession, one has to marvel the place his market will land this spring. Nonetheless, with the NFL at all times on the lookout for ready pass-rushers, groups will likely be all for his providers.

Background

Coming into what’s shortly turning into an epic 2020 draft class, Younger was tabbed as a can’t-miss prospect. In his remaining two years with the Buckeyes, he racked up a staggering 27 sacks (16.5 in his remaining season), displaying that he was a dominant defensive lineman towards some stiff NCAA competitors.

As a rookie with the Washington Soccer Workforce, Younger registered 7.5 sacks and was awarded each Defensive Rookie of the 12 months and Professional Bowl honors. His subsequent two years didn’t go as deliberate, although, as he performed in simply 12 video games from 2021-2022, notching simply 1.5 sacks over that span.

His accidents prompted a commerce to the 49ers in 2023, the place he matched his rookie sack whole of seven.5 sacks mixed that season. With no fifth-year choice exercised on his first contract, Younger turned a free agent in 2024 and landed with the Saints on a one-year, $13,000,000 absolutely assured deal.

At first look, he skilled one other dip in manufacturing, posting 5.5 sacks final season, however he had the second-highest totals in quarterback hits and whole tackles in 2024. As beforehand talked about, he was additionally a frequent presence within the backfield when it comes to pressures, displaying that the sack whole doesn’t essentially correlate together with his manufacturing—particularly as a participant who substituted out and in of the New Orleans protection.

Given the final two years’ manufacturing totals (albeit with three groups), Younger is seeking to money in on a profitable deal this spring.

Outlook

Probably the most intriguing factor about Younger and the place he’s at in his profession is his age. He’s in his mid-20s, and one may argue that he’s proper within the prime of his NFL profession.

The information exhibits that he possible gained’t be a double-digit sack man, however he might be a strong No. 2 rusher for a workforce that wants it (Good day, Bengals!). Younger didn’t do many exercises heading into the draft (he didn’t must), so his Relative Athletic Rating (RAS) profile was incomplete. Nonetheless, the prevailing opinion is that he’d convey youth, athleticism, and pleasure to a defensive unit.

Whereas there are plenty of dots to attach, specifically the Bengals’ want for extra pass-rushers and the previous Ohio connection, there are different elements making this a concurrently unlikely situation.

As reported earlier on Monday, the workforce is probably going going to make use of the franchise tag on Tee Higgins, which might carry a price ticket close to $26 million. Throw in extensions eager to get performed for each Ja’Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson, and you’ll see how a $17 million APY wage for Younger can seem to be a stretch.

But when the Bengals need to go all-in this offseason, this could be a strong transfer for a workforce seeking to reload the protection for Al Golden.

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