Pete Werner

Career StatsD+

Year	Team	GP	Tkl	Sacks	INT
Career		73	408	2.5	1
2025		17	81	2.0	0
2024		13	92	0.0	0
2023		16

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Saints struck a fair deal with Pete Werner's three-year, $22.5M extension, earning a C+ CVI that reflects solid value for a reliable linebacker. At $7.5M AAV, New Orleans is paying appropriate compensation for a rotational player who has carved out a consistent role in their defense without breaking into true starter territory. The 25-year-old Werner is entering his prime years, giving the Saints reasonable upside on this mid-tier investment as he continues developing within their system. With $11.2M guaranteed across three years, the contract structure provides manageable risk while securing depth at a critical position where injuries frequently create opportunities for expanded roles. This represents smart roster building by New Orleans — not flashy, but the type of steady veteran presence that championship defenses are built on, paying market rate for a player who knows his role and executes it well.

Performance Analysis

Pete Werner is a fifth-year linebacker for the New Orleans Saints, a 2021 second-round pick who has carved out a steady role in Dennis Allen's defense across 73 career games. His current D+ grade reflects a player still searching for consistency, stuck in a performance band that has ranged from D to D+ over the past three seasons. Among starting linebackers leaguewide, Werner profiles as a serviceable but replaceable piece rather than a cornerstone. His tackle production stands as his clearest strength, posting 4.76 stops per game against an NFL average of 3.80 — a meaningful edge that reflects his instincts in run fits and zone coverage. However, his pass-rush impact is a legitimate concern, generating just 0.12 sacks per game compared to the league average of 0.23, suggesting limited ability to stress blockers or create negative plays. His TFL rate of 0.24 per game also trails the 0.40 NFL average, though a slightly above-average 0.29 pass breakups per game hints at some coverage utility. Werner has graded D+ in back-to-back seasons after a D in 2023, which at least suggests a modest floor has been established rather than continued decline. His ceiling, however, appears capped without significant improvement in his pass-rush and backfield-penetration numbers. If New Orleans commits to him beyond 2025, the pressure on Werner to post a winning grade for the first time in his career will be considerable.

Current Sentiment

Pete Werner enters the 2026 season under a cloud of scrutiny after being publicly labeled one of the Saints' weakest starters, a characterization that has gained traction in both media circles and fan discourse. His career production — modest sack totals, limited turnovers, and no All-Pro or Pro Bowl recognition — provides little statistical ammunition to counter that narrative. The emergence of his name in trade speculation ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft signals that the Saints' front office may share some of those concerns, further eroding confidence in his long-term role with the organization. At $7.5 million per year, Werner occupies a contract range that invites heightened scrutiny, as teams and analysts increasingly question whether his on-field output justifies that investment. Without a strong performance turnaround or a shift in the media narrative, Werner heads into the new season as one of the more polarizing and vulnerable starters on New Orleans' defensive roster.