The New Orleans Saints made arguably their biggest splash of the 2022 offseasons with the acquisition of free agent safety Tyrann Mathieu.
It’s rare to see a team’s most substantial free agent signing happen after the NFL Draft, but that’s exactly what happened for the New Orleans Saints, who are bringing Tyrann Mathieu home to Louisiana.
The Saints reportedly agreed to terms with the Pro Bowl safety, who was given his walking papers by the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason.
The Chiefs opted for a youth movement in the defensive backfield, which had very little to do with the level Mathieu has still been playing at. This guy is still a hugely impactful defender.
New Orleans Saints finally land the Honey Badger, Tyrann Mathieu
The #Saints are making a key post-draft addition, as they’re expected to sign All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu, sources say. A long-awaited signing that should be finalized in the coming days, the Honey Badger lands in a perfect spot.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 2, 2022
Saints fans have got to be loving this offseason, at least for the most part.
Unless you really dislike the Jameis Winston move at quarterback, I think the Saints have assembled quite the crew over the course of the last couple of months.
Not only did they sign Tyrann Mathieu to add star power to the defensive backfield, but they took a calculated risk on Marcus Maye, formerly of the Jets, coming off of injury.
The Saints also have 2021 third-round pick Paulson Adebo coming up through the ranks and they used the no. 49 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on Tennessee’s highly athletic cornerback Alontae Taylor.
Obviously, the Saints saw their 2021 defensive tape and felt like the defensive backfield needed a major infusion of talent.
Clearly, the Saints buy themselves as contenders this season.
With Michael Thomas back from injury and Chris Olave coming in as the team’s top draft choice, the wide receiver room should get a substantial upgrade.
At the left tackle position, there is new blood with Trevor Penning replacing veteran Terron Armstead, who signed with the Miami Dolphins in free agency.
Still, with the Tyrann Mathieu addition, it’s hard to argue that any area of this Saints roster has received more attention in 2022 than the defensive backfield.
Mathieu brings versatility, grit, toughness, and an important veteran presence to the defensive backfield. The Saints did say goodbye to Marcus Williams in free agency (Ravens) but they have made some big moves to wipe out the pain from that loss.
With no first-round picks in 2023, the Saints had to be as aggressive as possible this offseason. Despite starting off in a near-$75 million hole on the salary cap, the Saints have turned the cap upside down and found ways to substantially upgrade the roster.