There are only 20 days remaining until the New Orleans Saints host the Arizona Cardinals in their 2025 regular season opener. Linebacker Pete Werner wears No. 20 for the Saints, one of the returning players on a defense looking to rebound for a bad 2024 performance. Werner is also our Saints Player of the Day, so here’s a closer look at his background.

Name (age): Pete Werner (26)

Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.

Height, weight: 6-foot-3, 242 pounds

College: Ohio State Buckeyes

Relative Athletic Score: 9.52

Drafted: Round 2, 60th overall in 2021 (Saints)

2025 salary cap hit: $2,886,000

Starring for Cathedral High School in Indiana, Werner was heavily recruited by nearly every midwestern power before committing to Ohio State. He didn’t play much as a freshman in 2017 but had earned a starting role as a sophomore and finished with 8 tackles for loss and 3 sacks among his 58 total stops. In 2019, Werner’s 64 solo stops were second on a Buckeyes team that advanced to the College Football Playoff Semifinals. During a Covid-shortened 2020 campaign, Ohio State didn’t lose until the CFP National Championship against Alabama. Werner earned 1st Team All-Big 10 recognition by leading the Buckeyes in tackles, which included 3 for loss and a sack. His play especially stood out during Ohio State’s semifinal win over Clemson, as he continued outstanding play during the national championship game.

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In the 2021 NFL draft, the Saints selected Werner late in Round 2, making him the fifth off-ball linebacker off the board. As a rookie, Werner split time at starter with Kwon Alexander, appearing in 15 games with eight starts. His tackling production gained him a starting role in 2022, when he finished with 80 total stops and was among the NFL leaders in tackles before slowed by a hamstring injury. Werner was even more productive in 2023, finishing second on the team with 93 tackles while adding an interception. Last season, Werner’s 92 stops again finished behind only Demario Davis.

Pete Werner is going to once again be a big part of the Saints defensive philosophy under new coordinator Brandon Staley. He’ll need to manufacture more big plays; he has only 14 stops for loss, a half sack, 2 fumble recoveries, and an interception in four seasons. However, Werner has terrific instincts around the line of scrimmage and is a standout run defender. Armed with a three-year contract extension signed last summer, Werner is expected to be one of the young centerpieces to a rebuilding New Orleans defense.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Countdown to Kickoff: Pete Werner is the Saints Player of Day 20