Why this season is pivotal for Saints LB Pete Werner

…and what he’s done up to this point.

New Orleans Saints LB Pete Werner has been an important piece of their defense ever since he was drafted out of Ohio State in 2021. But the 2024 season will be pivotal for the young linebacker.

First and foremost, it’s a contract year for Werner and because he was drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft, there is no fifth-year option on the table. He will have to show the Saints that he can put together a season that consistent while also being productive. Werner has had some games where it looks like he could be the next elite linebacker on the team, but the issue with him has always been inconsistency.

Let’s take a look back at his history in New Orleans:

In 2021, his rookie season, Werner started out pretty well. Through the first eight weeks of the season, consistently getting at least three to four tackles per game. But near the midpoint of the season - I’d say around week nine - he slowed down. He was still good, and able to average a couple of tackles a game, there was just not nearly as much oomph.

In 2022, Pete Werner was even faster out of the gate. He was getting at least six tackles each game, but it all came to a halt in Week 9. Werner managed to get three tackles in this game, but about halfway through he suffered an ankle injury that would keep him out for a few weeks. He would make his return in Week 14 but then injure his hamstring. Werner would return for the final two weeks of the season but wouldn’t be playing at his best. For the season, he would notch a total of 80 tackles.

This past season, Werner was able to play in 16 out of the 17 games. He was nearly just as fast out of the gate but did eventually slow to a steady pace, averaging around six tackles each game up until the one game he missed in Week 12. What’s good, is that he kept that pace up when he returned, averaging around five tackles per game. In 2023, he also notched his first career interception against New England in Week 5.

I’d personally say it was his best season, although it might not have felt like it at times throughout the season. The start of his season was just spectacular, so I hope he can recreate that over a longer period of time.

Each season for Pete Werner has started out amazing, but eventually slowed down either due to injury or just the length of an NFL season. They key for him in 2024 is to keep the explosive start going and carry it out throughout the season. If he underperforms the Saints might not want to pay him as much and he will go elsewhere, which is something that I’d really rather not see.