Former Chiefs linebacker could miss Week 5 homecoming when Saints visit Arrowhead

These days, it feels like the New Orleans Saints defense could call themselves K.C. South. It's understandable if they're intentionally open to former Chiefs defenders. After all, championship experience can't hurt and they've been well-coached for years under Steve Spagnuolo's tutelage.

The latest addition to the Saints' defense this offseason came when they signed away former Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay Jr. to a single-season deal last spring. The Chiefs knew they were likely going to lose Gay to the highest bidder, and it turned out to be the same team that's developed a taste for K.C.'s leftovers.

Unfortunately the homecoming likely anticipated between both sides might not happen—at least on the actual field—in Week 5 when the New Orleans Saints visit the Chiefs in primetime.

If Willie Gay was hoping to show up strong against his former team, he might be out of luck due to injury.

The Chiefs are set to host the Saints on Monday Night Football in their next game and such matchups provide plenty of familiar faces greeting one another before the game. Tyrann Mathieu will undoubtedly love to see some old friends. The same can be said of Tanoh Kpassagnon and Khalen Saunders up front. (Even Daniel Sorensen was around for a while.)

For Willie Gay, however, he's going to be a question mark going into a new week focused on a new opponent. That's because he left the Saints' loss in Week 4 with a hand injury and a subsequent post didn't look so good on his own Instagram.

It's entirely plausible that Gay could be ready to play on Sunday given that players have suited up with broken fingers or wrist issues or other such concerns throughout the years. Depending on how the training staff feels about securing whatever is wrong, it's possible he plays a role on the field for the Saints. However, it's also safe to say that this is not how Gay likely pictured things going when the NFL calendar was unveiled.

The Chiefs drafted Gay in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft as an uber-athletic linebacker who immediately raised the ceiling of the Chiefs' weakest position group. Further investments over the years in players like Nick Bolton and Leo Chenal as well as the signing of Drue Tranquill made it impossible to retain Gay as well given other considerations.

Gay has 10 tackles and 1 fumble recovery for the Saints so far in four games.