New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu is one of the most popular names on the trade market, and it’s easy to see why. Now entering his age-33 season, the three-time All-Pro is not the same dominant force he was at the peak of his career, but he’s still a starting-caliber safety who could help a team that one or two players away from hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. The Saints do not fit this description, as they have one of the league’s worst rosters and are trapped in a self-made salary cap hell.
With no realistic path to contending any time soon, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport believes the Saints should trade Tyrann Mathieu to the Baltimore Ravens. In a recent article, the NFL analyst defended the decision, saying it makes too much sense to not happen.
“The LSU product is a versatile defensive back who can play multiple positions and posted a rock-solid passer rating against of 76.4 last season. Upgrading the league’s second-worst pass defense from last season has to be right at the top of the Ravens’ to-do list this spring. They should use every option available to do so, including a trade for a veteran upgrade at safety.”
Saints, Ravens Connected In Tyrann Mathieu Trade Rumors
Calling the Ravens the second-worst pass defense in football is a little misleading, as total passing yards allowed doesn’t account for game script, garbage time, or opponent. However, with that disclaimer out of the way, Baltimore’s defense could use an upgrade in the secondary. While Kyle Hamilton remains one of the game’s best safeties, Marcus Williams had a disastrous season and veteran Eddie Jackson couldn’t recapture his 2010’s form during his lone season with the Ravens.
With late-season breakout Ar’Darius Washington headed for free agency, a Tyrann Mathieu trade could be the perfect solution to shore up the safety position. However, an official transaction probably won’t go down until after June 1st, as New Orleans can spread the dead cap hit over two seasons. While this means Mathieu will have less time to adjust to Baltimore’s scheme, the 12-year veteran should be able to learn the defense by Week 1.
Possible Compensation
As mentioned above, the Saints will probably wait until after June 1st to trade Tyrann Mathieu. Trading him before the date will only create $16,000 in cap savings, but waiting until the back half of the year will lead to $7.25 million in available money. The only downside to this is that New Orleans will not receive any immediate draft compensation for Mathieu’s services.
Davenport believes the Ravens will send a 2026 fifth-round pick to the Saints in exchange for the star safety. This makes sense for both sides, as the Ravens can get a player at a key position of need without impacting their ability to create a strong roster in 2025. The Saints, meanwhile, are staring down a multi-year rebuild and could use all the young talent they can get.
Freeing up cap space is helpful, but nearly a decade of contract restructures ensures this team cannot seriously compete for years on end. First-year head coach Kellen Moore needs all the young draft picks he can get, and a 2026 fifth-round pick is far more helpful for this organization than a 33-year-old safety.
Main Photo: Stephen Lew – Imagn Images
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