The New Orleans Saints ranks at linebacker just got thinner with Andrew Dowell headed to season-ending injured reserve.
Dowell suffered a knee injury after making a tackle during a set of 11-on-11 drills Wednesday. He hopped off the field gingerly and in clear discomfort. The injury was initially not believed to be serious, but clearly further testing did not go positively. Few details of the actual injury were immediately available.
The Saints have also claimed G Chuck Filiaga, who was cut by the Packers.
Dowell was one of several players competing for depth linebacker spots behind starters Demario Davis and Pete Werner, but his presence will be felt most on special teams. Dowell had made the Saints roster the past three seasons primarily on the strength of high effort and motor, along with his contributions on special teams. He re-signed to a 1-year, $940,000 contract this past offseason.
Dowell has appeared in 34 games over the past three seasons for New Orleans, logging 22 tackles and two forced fumbles.
Filiaga is a UDFA out of Minnesota and was a teammate of Saints rookie safety Jordan Howden. Filiaga, who began his career at Michigan, started all 13 games at right guard for the Golden Gophers last season. He'll add depth at a guard position that is beset by quad injuries, one a season-ending injury suffered by Trai Turner, and another suffered by Andrus Peat earlier this week that has kept him out of the past two practices.
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