The New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens are at completely different stages in their quest for a Super Bowl, and the dismal shape of the Saints roster could lead to a Tyrann Mathieu trade. A former third-round pick, Mathieu excelled at cornerback and safety throughout his career, making three Pro Bowls and three First-Team All-Pro squads. While he isn’t the player he once was, the LSU product is still a starting-caliber player who could find a new home in the offseason.
At least, that’s what Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report believes. In a recent article, the NFL analyst wrote that the Saints could trade Tyrann Mathieu to the Baltimore Ravens for a fifth-round pick, as New Orleans embraces a new era while Baltimore loads up for another run at a Super Bowl.
“The Saints are years (plural) from being a contender. They need to get what they can for some players and get their salary off the books…The Ravens don’t have the cap space to chase huge names around, but they are in the middle of a Super Bowl window that may not stay open for much longer.”
Saints, Ravens Could Agree to A Tyrann Mathieu Trade
Why The Saints Could Do This
The New Orleans Saints must take a long, hard look in the mirror and accept the inevitable: they’re not good enough to compete for the playoffs. This has been the case for years now, but General Manager Mickey Loomis refuses to embrace reality. Loomis and company have kicked the can down the road for the better part of a decade, continuously going all-in while mortgaging the future with endless heaps of dead money.
This strategy made sense to maximize the final years of the Drew Brees Era, but it makes no sense with Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, and Derek Carr under center. Carr is a starting-caliber quarterback, but he can’t carry a flawed roster, and New Orleans doesn’t have the resources to address all the holes on this team.
Tyrann Mathieu is entering the final year of his contract, so the Saints should trade him for whatever they can get. That hypothetical fifth-round pick is better than nothing, and trading him after June 1st will create $7.25 million in much-needed cap space.
Why the Ravens Could Do This
The Baltimore Ravens have one of the league’s top safeties in All-Pro Kyle Hamilton. However, the other starting spot could use some help. Baltimore loves to run two-safety looks, but they didn’t have the personnel to do that last year. Ballhawk Geno Stone joined the Cincinnati Bengals, while veterans Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson had seasons to forget. Tyrann Mathieu would be a clear upgrade on both players, but one player could prevent a trade.
The biggest wild card here is impending free agent Ar’Darius Washington. After spending the first three seasons of his career as a backup, the former undrafted free agent emerged as one of the team’s most reliable defenders down the stretch. If Baltimore believes he can recapture his performance in 2025, they’ll probably re-sign him to start opposite Hamilton. However, if they think his production was nothing more than a small-sample fluke, then Baltimore could let him walk and trade for Tyrann Mathieu.
Main Photo: Stephen Lew – Imagn Images
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