Byron Young

Career StatsB-

Year	Team	GP	Tkl	Sacks	INT
Career		51	205	27.5	—
2025		17	82	12.0	0
2024		17	62	7.5	0
2023		17

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Above-replacement production at the LB salary tier earns Byron Young a B+ Contract Value Index. Young's 2025 season of 82 tackles and 12 sacks across 17 games demonstrates the kind of consistent rotational production that justifies a four-year, $1.42M AAV rookie deal—he's delivering tangible pass-rush utility rather than depth-filler counting stats. At 28 years old in his third NFL season, Young occupies an economical salary slot typically reserved for mid-tier contributors, and his B- performance grade reflects solid execution within that expected range rather than elite upside. The Eagles' recent moves along the defensive line—releasing Za'Darius Smith and Isiah King while adding reinforcements—position Young as a more central piece in the pass-rush rotation heading into 2026, a role upgrade that amplifies the value of his current contract. The media narrative frames him as a quietly ascending contributor whose resilience following personal tragedy has earned genuine respect within the organization and fanbase, suggesting the Eagles view him as more than a depth-chart placeholder. At roughly $1.4M annually, Young's deal provides legitimate rotational production without cap strain, a hallmark of smart roster construction that avoids the overpayment traps that plague middle-tier defensive line markets—this is contract efficiency in action.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the B band — a quick read on where Byron's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Byron Young is a three-year Philadelphia Eagles linebacker who has emerged as a tackle-first defender with elite pass-rush instincts. At 28 with limited starting experience across 51 career games, Young represents a depth piece with surprising upside rather than a cornerstone talent. His B-minus grade this season reflects steady improvement after consecutive C-grade campaigns in 2024 and 2023, signaling meaningful growth in a reserve role. Young's most striking metric is his sack production at 0.71 per game, which substantially exceeds the NFL average of 0.15 and nearly matches the elite threshold of 0.51. His tackle rate of 4.82 per game also runs well above the 2.19 league average, positioning him among the more productive box defenders on tape. However, his tackle-for-loss average of 0.32 per game sits marginally above the NFL mean of 0.27, suggesting he generates volume but occasionally lacks impact on negative plays. The gap between his tackle volume and disruptive stops indicates Young succeeds more as a coverage linebacker than as a dominant gap-control force. Young's trajectory suggests a rotational contributor trending toward consistent snaps rather than All-Pro caliber. His three-year arc shows gradual refinement in decision-making and assignment discipline, though he has yet to establish himself as a full-time starter. Monitor his 2025 finish for whether he sustains current production levels or regresses toward previous seasonal patterns.

How Byron Compares at the Position

Byron Young ranks 83rd of 339 graded linebackers by performance. That slots Byron between Nakobe Dean (B-) just ahead and Jason Pierre-paul (B-) just behind.

Current Sentiment

The media tone on Byron Young pencils out to a C+ sentiment grade after weighing recent storylines. Young enters 2026 positioned as a quietly ascending pass-rusher whose narrative extends well beyond traditional NFL discourse—his resilience following his father Kenny Young's sudden passing in March has resonated deeply with Philadelphia's fanbase and earned genuine empathy from media coverage, transforming him from roster depth into an emotionally compelling story. His 2025 season output of 82 tackles and 12 sacks across 17 games demonstrates the kind of consistent rotational production that catches coaching staff attention without commanding mainstream spotlight, a dynamic that tends to build goodwill among those tracking the Eagles closely. Recent Philadelphia roster moves—including the releases of Za'Darius Smith and Isiah King on the defensive side—position Young as a more central piece in the lineage of the defensive line room, and local media has consistently highlighted the brotherhood within that unit as a competitive advantage. The convergence of expanding opportunity, solid on-field production, and a compelling personal story has tilted public perception upward, though Young remains below household-name status; the narrative arc suggests 2026 could represent a legitimate breakout platform rather than a settled depth role.