The Saints have a clear need at safety, and the honey badger appears interested in a trip back home. Is it kismet?
New Orleans native and former LSU standout Tyrann Mathieu is meeting with the Saints Tuesday, according to reports, a potential sign that a homecoming could be in the cards after all.
The former Tigers star has been spotted throughout Louisiana in recent weeks, spending time with the LSU programs and also meeting with family and friends as he mulls his next NFL landing spot.
A clear target of Saints fans, Mathieu has also partnered with Saints nickel corner CJ Gardner-Johnson on social media to stoke excitement around a potential pairing.
Mathieu remains one of the biggest names left on the free agency board late in the offseason, and the Saints could be the perfect landing spot considering the recent departure of free safety Marcus Williams to the Baltimore Ravens and Malcolm Jenkins' decision to retire after 13 NFL seasons. The Saints signed versatile safety Marcus Maye, who could play either safety position, and re-signed PJ Williams for depth, but are likely to seek a more stable option at the position. The Saints have also signed a former Mathieu teammate in ex-Chiefs safety Daniel Sorenson, who is expected to play a depth role, along with DB Justin Evans.
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Should the Saints land the 29-year-old Mathieu, it likely won't come cheap. Mathieu entered free agency following a 3-year, $42 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs during which he was a part of a pair of Super Bowl runs and another near miss this past season. Mathieu played his first five seasons with the Arizona Cardinals after being selected in the third round of the 2013 draft, then spent one season with the Houston Texans prior to his arrival in KC. The three-time Pro Bowler has accrued 610 tackles, 10 sacks, 26 interceptions, 76 passes defended and 4 forced fumbles in his career, and would immediately add some teeth in a quickly depleted Saints secondary.
But the Saints don't necessarily have to go the Mathieu route if they set their sights on a player like Landon Collins or another name on the market. They could also choose to look at the draft, now the owners of a pair of first-round selections (No. 16 and 19) after a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles earlier in the week.
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