Saints new depth at LB creates clear position battle, flexibility and hopefully a postseason return

One of the more underrated additions to the New Orleans Saints roster this offseason has a pair of Super Bowl rings and has no intention of watching from the sidelines.

That, of course, is former Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay Jr., who arrived on a 1-year deal and eyes on a consistent role.

“I’ll be a role player, but I want to make plays. I will say that. I don’t want to just be an every now and then type of guy, if I’ve got to be honest," Gay said. "But I know that’s all on me, and the work that I put in will put me in that position, and if I don’t, then I’ll be just that role player."

The question is what exactly will that role be, considering the vast majority of the time there will only be two linebackers on the field and those spots are filled by Demario Davis and Pete Werner alongside a nickel corner.

In simple terms, it's a work in progress. Gay is a more premium athlete than what the Saints had last year in Zack Baun, and that means rush and coverage potential. For perspective, Gay dropped into coverage on just over 46% of his 625 defensive snaps for the Chiefs last season. Compare that to Baun, who was in coverage on only 18% of his 303 snaps in the Saints defense last season.

Watching Gay in minicamp practices, his speed at the linebacker level stood out. Defensive coordinator Joe Woods was quick to answer earlier this offseason when I asked him whether Gay's presence allows more flexibility in how the defense responds to different looks and schemes.

"When you get a new player you don’t put it all on them at once, so there’s definitely some things we can do with him as a linebacker," Woods said. "We get into our ruby package where we can play inside or outside, but the athleticism is definitely there."

In the end, though, it's the offense that most often dictates what the defense is doing with its personnel. Every offense in the NFL ran out three wide receivers at least 41% of the time in the 2023 season, with the Rams leading the NFL by doing that on 93% of their offensive snaps, according to Sumer Sports ' data. There were 23 different NFL teams that gave three-WR looks on 60% or more of their offensive snaps, making the nickel package far more necessary than a "base" look with three linebackers on the field.

"I look at the nickel corner as a starter," head coach Dennis Allen said during this year's offseason work.

As creative as the Saints want to be, the key to Gay getting on the field as much as he wants could come through a position battle with Werner for that starting Will linebacker slot. Werner likely has the inside track, but it's anything but a foregone conclusion. The former Ohio State Buckeye and former 2nd round pick was all over the field in the first month of the 2022 season, rolling up 40 tackles (32 solo) and forcing a fumble while looking like a dominant force on the defense. Injuries stifled that campaign and he finished with just 40 more tackles total in his final nine games played.

Werner was solid in 2023 with 93 tackles (60 solo), 4 TFLs, a half sack and an interception over 16 games, but he never quite seemed to have the impact he flashed early in Year 2. If nothing else the addition of Gay will serve as a force to push him to reach that potential again, and it's something Werner recognizes and embraces as he heads into the fourth and final year of his rookie contract.

"It doesn’t take you long to realize in this league that you’re always … going to be competing no matter what you’re doing," Werner said.

He harkened back to his time with the Buckeyes where he entered on the lower end of the recruiting spectrum and had to earn everything from Day 1.

"It’s just the name of the game. That’s football. So it does make you … open your eyes and realize that what you’re doing is always gonna be, you know, at a high emphasis, knowing that there’s always people that’s gonna be coming in and trying to do what you did in the past," Werner said, "and I’m looking forward to it.”

Starter or not, the Saints will be hoping Gay's postseason fortunes can rub off on a squad that's missed out on any games beyond Week 18 each of the past three seasons. In the past three seasons Gay took the field in nine playoff games, with his team winning eight of them, including a pair of Super Bowls. In those games Gay racked up 29 tackles, 4 TFLs, 3 passes defensed and a forced fumble.

The 26-year-old is trying to bring that experience to a new group, but learn a lot about his new squad in the process, because winning a title is all about the details.

"It’s those little things that people that – they take for granted sometimes, you know, and being detailed is what gets you to Week 18, Week 22 in the playoffs," Gay said, "and you’re doing the little things right in the games, during assignments, because the details always matter.”