- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 439,050
- Reaction score
- 44
Linebacker is an underrated position that the New Orleans Saints could address in the NFL draft. The one thing keeping the "could" from being a "should" is the starting duo of Demario Davis and Pete Werner.
There's unproven depth behind the pairing, but a player such as Demetrius Knight could add depth early and become a starter in the near future. Pro Football Focus believes the South Carolina product is the best fit for the Saints in Day 2.
For Knight, the pressure to contribute immediately is greater. The linebacker is already 25 years old and will be approaching 30 at the end of his rookie contract. While Davis may have hit a new level after the age of 30, he is the exception, not the rule.
The biggest reason to draft a linebacker is accounting for Davis' eventual retirement in the near future. Davis would like to play for three more years, but that should be viewed more as the maximum time he'll play than a guaranteed time left. So, there is a chance Brandon Staley could view him as Davis' replacement.
The secondary motive could be a competition between Knight and Werner. Werner was supposed to engage in a camp battle with Willie Gay Jr. last year, but Werner's contract extension early into training camp told a different story. That was a Dennis Allen move, and he's out of town.
Werner is a solid starter, but the Saints can improve at the position. Taking a swing in Day 2 would be far from ill-advised. Werner's average athleticism proved to be an issue this year as he frequently was outran on stretch plays, and in general, struggled in run defense.
Despite logging his second-most tackles in only 13 games, Werner also missed 7 tackles after only missing 9 his entire career. Infusing a new linebacker into the fold would put pressure on Werner and provide a plan for after Davis' retirement.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2025 NFL Draft: Demetrius Knight is perfect fit for Saints on Day 2
Continue reading...
There's unproven depth behind the pairing, but a player such as Demetrius Knight could add depth early and become a starter in the near future. Pro Football Focus believes the South Carolina product is the best fit for the Saints in Day 2.
For Knight, the pressure to contribute immediately is greater. The linebacker is already 25 years old and will be approaching 30 at the end of his rookie contract. While Davis may have hit a new level after the age of 30, he is the exception, not the rule.
The biggest reason to draft a linebacker is accounting for Davis' eventual retirement in the near future. Davis would like to play for three more years, but that should be viewed more as the maximum time he'll play than a guaranteed time left. So, there is a chance Brandon Staley could view him as Davis' replacement.
The secondary motive could be a competition between Knight and Werner. Werner was supposed to engage in a camp battle with Willie Gay Jr. last year, but Werner's contract extension early into training camp told a different story. That was a Dennis Allen move, and he's out of town.
Werner is a solid starter, but the Saints can improve at the position. Taking a swing in Day 2 would be far from ill-advised. Werner's average athleticism proved to be an issue this year as he frequently was outran on stretch plays, and in general, struggled in run defense.
Despite logging his second-most tackles in only 13 games, Werner also missed 7 tackles after only missing 9 his entire career. Infusing a new linebacker into the fold would put pressure on Werner and provide a plan for after Davis' retirement.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2025 NFL Draft: Demetrius Knight is perfect fit for Saints on Day 2
Continue reading...
