Chase Young speaks with the local Saints media for the first time after signing his contract on Monday.
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00:00 you know, for the opportunity and you know, my plan is to make the most of it
00:06 and you know, help this team get it at what kind of goal.
00:09 Chase, welcome to New Orleans. Why the Saints?
00:13 Just a culture, man. Just a tradition.
00:17 You know, just a Saint is one of those places that, you know, a winning culture.
00:24 And you know, that's what I wanted to, you know, be around.
00:29 And you know, I feel like this is the place for me.
00:32 How do you feel you're going to affect this defense?
00:36 We kind of know what your specialty is,
00:38 but how do you feel you're going to affect this defense?
00:40 In all phases of the game, man, you know, I'm going to let my play do the talking.
00:45 But you know, I definitely want to bring my best and put my best foot forward.
00:51 Hey, Chase, as a former number two overall selection in the draft,
00:58 defensive rookie of the year, obviously, you know,
00:59 your play gets put under a microscope when you're a player of that caliber.
01:03 What do you think is one of the bigger misconceptions about your game
01:07 that you're excited to prove here in New Orleans?
01:10 I'm really not excited to prove anything to anybody.
01:13 I'm just going to go out there and be the best Chase that I can be.
01:18 How's your career so far, Chase?
01:21 You know, injuries definitely, like, you know, hinder a few things,
01:26 but it's all good. It's all about the process.
01:30 You know, all about the journey.
01:32 You know, I know what I can do, and, you know, I'm a man of God.
01:37 He's still giving me opportunities to prove, so we're here.
01:42 Hey, Chase, I'm wondering how your exit from Washington
01:45 and your experience in San Francisco
01:47 maybe provided a new perspective for you last season.
01:50 Did it give you -- did that change of scenery help at all?
01:54 I was blessed to be in both spots, man.
01:58 You know, appreciated the time I had in San Fran,
02:04 but, you know, I'm a Saint now, so, yeah.
02:08 And what did making the Super Bowl do for you?
02:12 It was a blessing, man. It was a great opportunity.
02:15 It was a great opportunity.
02:23 Chase, I'm sorry. This has already been asked.
02:24 I got on a minute late, but is there anything about this defense
02:28 in particular that appealed to you?
02:31 Oh, yeah. I mean, you know, we have a great defense,
02:35 Tyron, Cam, you know, Carl, Pete, DeMario.
02:41 I mean, it's -- I feel like it's weapons all over the field.
02:45 You know, my goal is just going to be the best chase
02:48 trainer that I can be, and, you know,
02:51 I definitely, you know, plan to add a good piece
02:55 to be a part of this defense.
02:57 Chase, what was kind of your process of picking your spot?
03:01 Were you kind of studying everybody
03:02 and trying to make sure you found the best fit for you?
03:04 And if so, what made New Orleans the best fit for you?
03:07 Yeah, just the best fit is --
03:08 I feel like it's very family-oriented.
03:11 You know, even just being the whole coaching staff,
03:14 everybody was family-oriented.
03:17 You know, I can tell just the work space has great energy,
03:22 just everybody walking around and smiling.
03:25 So just feeling the energy and really just a place
03:28 where, you know, I come to work in it every day.
03:31 And it seems like you're pretty familiar
03:33 with the defensive roster.
03:35 I'm assuming you've at least looked at them a little bit.
03:37 How do you feel like you fit in with the other guys,
03:39 and how can you guys complement each other?
03:41 I feel like, you know, we're going to start in practice
03:45 doing that, but, you know, I'm definitely excited
03:47 to get around these boys.
03:50 Hey, Chase, what was kind of the meeting
03:52 like between you guys last night?
03:53 You guys went out to dinner and stuff, or is that --
03:55 or how did that go?
03:58 Yeah, it went great.
03:59 Went out to dinner.
04:00 You know, A. Will had great combos.
04:05 Were any of the other players at the dinner,
04:07 were they trying to make their best recruiting pitch
04:09 to get you to sign?
04:11 Mm-hmm. Yeah, it was one there.
04:14 There was a report that Tyron was there with you.
04:21 Is that accurate?
04:23 No.
04:24 Okay.
04:26 Chase, when you talk --
04:28 I mean, you said injuries obviously affected
04:31 the middle of your career so far in the NFL.
04:34 What else do you point to as something,
04:36 you know, you want to improve on,
04:38 or when you reviewed your last season,
04:39 that you think there was still area for growth?
04:43 I feel like in every area of my game I can grow.
04:46 You know, I'm still a young player in this game.
04:50 I learn and, you know, just still on that journey
04:53 to be the best player I can be.
04:56 You know, to take a one-year deal,
04:58 I mean, do you kind of see this as a prove-it deal,
05:00 or how do you kind of view the deal?
05:03 I just prove it as I'm getting another opportunity
05:05 to show what I can do.
05:08 And, you know, you did play 16 games last year,
05:11 relatively healthy.
05:12 Did you feel like you --
05:15 thought it was a bounce-back season for you,
05:16 or how did you kind of feel about last year overall?
05:18 No, really, I'm just --
05:20 every time I step in the field, I'm just grateful for,
05:23 you know, just a chance to do it.
05:26 You know, all it takes in this league is one play,
05:30 and I understand that.
05:31 You know, this organization, the Saints,
05:34 gave me another, you know, opportunity to, you know,
05:39 fight for that trophy and that number-one goal,
05:43 and I'm going to do my best to, you know,
05:46 make sure they know they didn't pick the wrong one.
05:48 Chase, what -- you know, obviously,
05:55 this is the beginning of week two of free agency now.
05:58 What was important for you or important for the other teams
06:01 to take this much time to make the decision?
06:03 Did you really want to go on some of these visits and --
06:08 Yeah, I mean, I just realized, you know,
06:10 this place, I had a feeling.
06:12 My mom always said, "Trust my gut."
06:14 You know, talk to, you know, the whole staff,
06:18 and I just felt like this was the best choice for me.
06:21 How nice was it to kind of have that --
06:27 you know, you were traded last season, obviously,
06:29 to kind of have that say
06:30 of where you wanted to go in your career?
06:32 What was that process like?
06:34 It was definitely different, you know, grown-man decisions,
06:39 something that I feel like I'm prepared to make, so, yeah.
06:44 Do we have any other questions for Chase?
06:54 Hey, I apologize if you've been asked this already,
06:56 but getting a chance to team up with Cam Jordan,
07:00 just your excitement to team up with a vet like that.
07:03 Yeah, man, that's definitely something big for me
07:07 that I'm, you know, excited to do.
07:10 You know, future Hall of Famer,
07:13 a guy who I'm going to spend time with,
07:15 who I can just, you know, absorb the game from.
07:19 You know, I'm definitely excited about big time, so.
07:24 Yeah, Chase, just quick question.
07:26 You know, this is a team that, for whatever reason,
07:28 always seems to gravitate toward Ohio State players,
07:31 whether through free agency or through the draft.
07:33 Was that something you were aware of,
07:34 and do you have any kind of familiarity with,
07:37 you know, whether Pete, Marshawn,
07:39 some of these guys, Chris, that have been here,
07:41 obviously, whether as teammates or whatever?
07:43 Yeah, no, you know, Chris and Pete were my teammates.
07:47 Marshawn, we still good friends.
07:51 You know, I know all the Cleveland guys.
07:54 But, yeah, man, I mean, you know,
07:58 they definitely, around here, they, you know,
08:01 they talk about how they love Ohio State guys,
08:03 and, you know, I'm glad I can be a part of that.
08:05 What was your impression of Dennis Allen?
08:13 The coach, you know, I can just tell
08:15 he's going to hold me to the highest standard.
08:17 You know, I can just tell that's just going to make me
08:19 the best player that I can be.
08:21 Chase, there were some reports about you
08:28 not only visiting with the Saints
08:29 but also visiting with the Panthers,
08:31 and then there was, like, an expected visit
08:32 or something like that with the Titans.
08:33 Did you take all of those visits
08:35 before settling in New Orleans,
08:36 or did New Orleans just present itself at the right time?
08:40 I just like the Saints.
08:41 So, you know, I feel like it was, you know,
08:45 it was what I wanted.
08:47 I feel like it was my fit, family-oriented,
08:51 you know, great culture, post-ed players, too.
08:55 You know, just a real good organization.
08:59 When you say that it was a place that you wanted,
09:04 was it somewhere that you had identified early on
09:06 in the process, or was it more so
09:07 through conversation and the visit?
09:10 Conversation and the visit, for sure.
09:14 You mentioned that family-oriented feel
09:16 a few times.
09:17 Why was that so important to you?
09:19 Because I feel like I'm a family man.
09:21 You know, I like it.
09:24 You know, I like coming to work every day.
09:25 I like, you know, talking to my teammates.
09:28 You know, I just like that good energy
09:31 throughout the atmosphere.
09:33 How familiar are you with sort of the connection
09:39 between the fan base and the organization here?
09:43 Obviously, the organization's very entrenched
09:45 with the history of the city and things like that.
09:47 Is that something you're excited about as well?
09:49 Yeah, definitely.
09:50 I heard the stadium gets super loud.
09:53 So I'm really excited for that.
09:56 Chase, you've done a pretty good job of kind of--
10:03 we've all been dancing around this sort of prove-it
10:05 narrative, and that's not something you're interested
10:07 in buying into, I guess.
10:10 Why is it that you kind of like don't like being labeled
10:14 as like needing to prove anything,
10:15 or you know what I mean?
10:17 Like, I guess, revitalize your career,
10:19 or the kind of things we all tend to put
10:21 into a story arc for you.
10:23 Yeah, I mean, you know, I feel like in life,
10:25 it's all journeys, you know.
10:28 I really don't hear what people say.
10:30 You know, you can say what you want.
10:32 I know make a living to get there, you know.
10:35 You know, people have families.
10:37 But at the end of the day, I'm a man of God,
10:39 and it's a journey.
10:41 And, you know, we're going to see.
10:43 We're going to see what happens.
10:45 And I know Ross asked you earlier
10:47 about being under a microscope when you're
10:48 such a high-profile player.
10:50 You obviously have taken a good attitude
10:53 to not let that affect you.
10:54 But is that something you've noticed and felt
10:56 that, you know, people love to parse everything
10:59 you're out there doing?
11:01 No, I've been getting that since college, man.
11:02 It all saves me my...
11:06 That's after one more.
11:07 What did your -- What was your family's reaction?
11:13 I know your mom and stuff, just --
11:17 What was their reaction?
11:21 Super excited.
11:23 They're ready to eat this good food down here.
11:24 I know that.
11:26 Oh, what'd you get at dinner yesterday?
11:28 Did you get a very New Orleans meal or anything?
11:30 I had -- I just had to catch it today.
11:32 Just some fish.
11:34 Gotcha.
11:35 [ Silence ]