Pete Werner undergoing tests on injured hand

NEW ORLEANS – Injuries continue to be a key storyline for the New Orleans Saints who look to build momentum after a tough seven-game skid. While they are getting some players back, like starting center Erik McCoy, the team is still battling a bit of an injury bug as several players were tended to throughout their victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 10.

Many of those players, such as safety Jordan Howden, left tackle Taliese Fuaga and safety J.T. Gray were all able to return to the field after being looked at. However, one player that did not is a key cog in the Saints defense– linebacker Pete Werner.

Wener suffered a hand injury that caused him to leave the game with just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter. The 2021 draft selection did not return to the game. Interim Head Coach Darren Rizzi provided an update on Werner’s status on Monday, sharing that the linebacker would undergo further testing to figure out just how impactful the injury may be.

“He’s dealing with a little bit of a hand deal,” Rizzi said. “They’re doing some tests on that to see what’s going on. So, we’ll kind of see what the results are.”

The former Ohio State Buckeye missed three games earlier this season with a hamstring injury which he suffered during practice leading up to Week 5. Hopefully for New Orleans, this hand injury will not lead to more missed time, but the further testing will determine that. The Saints get back to practice on Wednesday,which will shed light on the possible determination.

Werner signed a three-year contract extension this offseason, even while battling injuries during training camp. That goes to show how much the Saints value their young linebacker. Werner is currently fourth on the team in tackles despite his missed time. He also has three tackles for loss and a pass defended on the year.

In his stead, were he to miss time, linebacker Willie Gay Jr. would step into his role next to defensive leader Demario Davis. Gay Jr. was added this offseason as a free agent from the Kansas City Chiefs. The five-year pro currently has 24 total tackles on the season along with a sack, a forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries and 3 passes defended.