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A Saints defense packed with experienced performers has seen a rookie-contract cog become a regular in recent years. As a result, Pete Werner is no longer attached to that rookie deal.
The fourth-year linebacker agreed to terms on an extension Thursday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, who indicates this is a three-year commitment. Werner signed a deal worth more than $25M, per Schefter, with $17.5M coming guaranteed. The former second-round pick will be tied to the Saints through the 2027 season.
Although we do not yet know the precise value, this extension appears to fall in line with the off-ball linebacker market’s upper-middle class. While market reassessments at running back and safety have been discussed more often, ILB paydays have dipped a bit in recent years. The past two free-agency periods have produced a glut of second-level defenders whose contracts have come in between $6M and $10M per year. If the Werner deal’s base value is indeed beyond $25M, the AAV would fall in line with the contracts Logan Wilson, Jordyn Brooks and Dre Greenlaw signed in the recent past.
Only five ILBs are currently tied to deals worth more than $12M per annum and Patrick Queen‘s Steelers pact contains no guarantees beyond Year 1. C.J. Mosley and Foyesade Oluokun also agreed to pay cuts (revisions that provided increased guarantees) this year. While this is not the best era to be an off-ball ‘backer, teams rely on their anchors at these positions. The Saints have one of the best in Demario Davis, but Werner — at 25 — is 10 years younger.
Werner emerged as a full-time player last season, logging an 88 percent snap rate for a workload (920 defensive plays) that came in well above his previous two seasons. The Davis sidekick opted for security rather than head into a contract year. The Saints have now agreed to deals with Davis, Werner and Willie Gay this offseason. The Gay deal, however, checked in as a one-year, $3M accord.
Pro Football Focus was much lower on Werner as a full-timer compared to his part-time work. After rating the former No. 60 overall pick as its No. 5 off-ball ‘backer in 2021, PFF slotted him 40th in 2022 and 67th in ’23. As far as traditional stats go, Werner racked up 93 tackles (four for loss) and intercepted a pass last year — his first with more than 11 starts. The Ohio State product started 16 games.
The Saints continue to rely on Davis’ top-shelf versatility carrying into his mid-30s; PFF rated the ageless dynamo third at the position in 2023. While betting against Davis has been a risky proposition, Werner’s contract may well place him on track to be the team’s long-term LB option once the team’s 35-year-old pillar is out of the picture.
New Orleans now has veteran contracts for Davis, Werner, Cameron Jordan, Chase Young, Marshon Lattimore and Tyrann Mathieu on defense. The team also brought in Justin Simmons for a visit on Wednesday. Going into his fourth season, Werner profiles as an important young talent on a defense that features some aging cogs. The Saints will count on him for the foreseeable future.
More must-reads:
- Multiple connections could help Saints land two-time Pro Bowl safety
- NFC training-camp disappointments: Cowboys, Commanders have QB concerns
- The 'Prominent quarterbacks in New Orleans Saints history' quiz
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Raiders' Pete Carroll admits disappointing truth about Ashton Jeanty
The Las Vegas Raiders had high hopes and expectations when they took Boise State phenom Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 pick in this year's draft. It's becoming increasingly rare to see running backs drafted so high, but after watching him post one of the single greatest seasons in college football history, he looked more than worthy of that honor. So far, however, the 2024 Heisman Trophy finalist has looked quite mortal in his first two games in the pros. Ashton Jeanty hasn't gotten off to a fast start in the NFL He logged 38 yards and one score in his NFL debut, and then logged just 43 yards on 11 carries in the loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2. That's why Raiders head coach Pete Carroll had to admit that they needed to take things slowly with Jeanty. While he acknowledged that they hadn't done much to put Jeanty in a position to succeed, he remains optimistic about the RB's prospects. "We're just getting started (with Jeanty)," Carroll told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "He's breaking into the NFL. He's figuring it out. He'll get more carries. We have to run the ball more effectively. We only got (68 yards), and that's not enough. We need more than that. We're bringing (Jeanty) along. More will come." Ashton Jeanty knows he has to do better Jeanty is averaging 2.7 yards per attempt, which is a far cry from his 6.4 yards per carry in college. At least he knows he has to be better, and he believes it's just a matter of time before he gets used to the speed of the pros. "Last week it was on me, I didn't do a good job of reading the plays. I'll put it on myself again this week," Jeanty said. "Just getting used to the speed, honestly. Last week kind of felt like I was moving a little slower, this week felt better. Still not there yet, but once it happens, it will be good." Jeanty continued commenting on the situation on Wednesday. He didn't mince words. Jeanty has posted the fewest rushing yards (81) among players with at least 30 carries, and his next chance to turn the page will come in Week 3 against the Washington Commanders' beatable run defense.
Kyle Shanahan has surprising Brock Purdy update — 49ers are confident in QB situation regardless
Commanders' vacant starting spot sets up fierce clash of youth and experience
The Washington Commanders had been lucking out in the injury department last year and at the start of 2025. That all changed in a hurry after their loss to the Green Bay Packers. On offense, running back Austin Ekeler tore his Achilles, and star quarterback Jayden Daniels is dealing with a knee sprain. On defense, starting defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr., who was one of the Commanders' key free agent signings, suffered a season-ending quad tear. Replacing Wise will be a challenge for the Commanders. There's no clear candidate in the fold to take over the starting duties. But the team does have several options, including a surprising new addition. Commanders could run with a committee approach to replace Deatrich Wise Jr. initially After Wise went down, the Commanders were left with 2024 seventh-round pick Javontae Jean-Baptiste and veteran journeyman Jacob Martin as their only additional rostered players at his position. But it didn't take long for that to change. Washington signed Jalyn Holmes from the practice squad and acquired a familiar face in veteran Preston Smith. Smith, a 2015 second-round pick by Washington, had four productive seasons with the organization in which he accumulated 24.5 sacks. He then signed with the Packers, where he enjoyed a career-best 12-sack campaign in 2019 and remained a key contributor until being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers before last year's deadline. It's hard to say how much of an impact Smith can make in Washington at this stage of his career, while having to learn a new playbook on the fly. He might not start in Week 3 on such short notice, which would leave either Holmes or Jean-Baptiste to get the nod. The Commanders also have the option of shuffling additional pieces around. Martin could slot over from the opposite side of the line, where he's been backing up Dorance Armstrong Jr. Johnny Newton and Javon Kinlaw could be candidates to see some more snaps on the edge as well. It will be interesting to see how Washington manages the hole left by Wise. It's likely to be a group effort between Smith, Martin, Holmes, Jean-Baptiste, and potentially others against the Las Vegas Raiders at Northwest Stadium. Dan Quinn will have a plan in place, and there is confidence that his scheme can compensate for some personnel deficiencies. Ideally, the Commanders will want someone to lock up the position on a more stable basis eventually, and it's anyone's guess who that will be. The opportunity is there. Somebody will need to make the most of it.
'You kept your mouth shut': College Football Hall of Famer praises Georgia star
Count College Football Hall of Famer and CBS Sports analyst Aaron Taylor among the fans of Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, who led the Bulldogs to a thrilling 44-41 overtime win against Tennessee on the road on Saturday. The SEC matchup was touted as Stockton's first true test as Georgia's QB this season. "I'm going to give the game ball this week to Gunner Stockton," Taylor said Tuesday. Added the analyst: "Gunner, you represent everything that's great about football and this sport. You kept your mouth shut and you delivered when it mattered most. You pushed all the chips in on yourself, you bet on yourself and you dropped a dime and rose to the moment when your best is needed." Gunner Stockton sat behind Carson Beck, Stetson Bennett Stockton is in his first season as a full-time starter for the No. 5 Bulldogs (3-0). He enrolled at Georgia in 2022 and sat behind Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck. However, the 21-year-old redshirt junior got considerable playing time in Georgia's postseason run last season. Stockton helped lead the Bulldogs to an SEC Championship Game win over Texas after Beck suffered an injury and also started in Georgia's College Football Playoff loss against Notre Dame. The matchup against Tennessee was Stockton's first career start against an SEC opponent. Against the Volunteers, he threw for 304 yards, two touchdowns and completed 74 percent of his passes. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound QB displayed poise despite playing in a hostile environment in a rivalry the Bulldogs have won nine consecutive times. Gunner Stockton threw key TD pass late against Tennessee In a 4th-and-7 situation with Georgia trailing 38-30 late in the fourth quarter, Stockton threw a 28-yard TD pass to wideout London Humphreys to give the Bulldogs a chance to tie. Stockton then converted a two-point conversion pass to Zachariah Branch to tie the score at 38. Stockton also contributed 38 yards rushing and a TD. Georgia HC Kirby Smart's offense is predicated on the power game, and Stockton executed the game plan perfectly. Taylor, who starred at Notre Dame from 1990-93, knows football, and he likes what he sees in the Georgia QB. "It was the way he blocked out all of the noise," Taylor said about Stockton. "Somehow he had humility but confidence."
Three-time Super Bowl champion shares what's driving Cowboys QB Dak Prescott's resurgence
After an underwhelming 2024, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has seemed to regain his swagger. On Thursday, former Cowboys QB Troy Aikman, a three-time Super Bowl champion, said Prescott's play has impressed him. The Pro Football Hall of Famer also shared something that should leave Dallas fans feeling optimistic about the team's outlook this season. Troy Aikman suggests Dak Prescott is playing with a greater sense of confidence "But in addition to how well he's played, I just sense there's a confidence about in the way in which he's playing that I don't want to say I haven't seen it before, but I just feel like he's really dialed in and feeling good about where this offense is going," Aikman told KTCK-AM in Dallas. "And usually to have that, you feel really good about the plays that are coming in and who's calling them." New head coach Brian Schottenheimer is calling plays for the Cowboys this season. Over the past two seasons, he served as offensive coordinator, but former head coach Mike McCarthy was the play-caller. The change seems to be paying dividends for Prescott. Through two games, he has completed 59-of-86 passes (68.6 percent) for 549 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Those numbers are similar to the ones he posted during the first two weeks of the 2023 season, when he finished second in league MVP voting behind Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. The early surge is likely tied to Schottenheimer not only knowing how to draw up the right plays for Prescott but also knowing how to push the 32-year-old QB. "Dak and I know how to push each other's buttons," the coach said during his introductory news conference in January. "I think about training camp last year. A ball got intercepted, and we had a thing where if you throw an interception, you come out. And so I took Dak out, and he's like, 'What?' The competitor in him is special." The Cowboys (1-1) need Schottenheimer to keep pushing the right buttons for Prescott in Sunday's road game against the Chicago Bears (0-2). Especially with Dallas' defense — tied for 27th in the league in points allowed (30.5) — still looking like it's not going to get many stops this season.
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