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How do you feel about Tyrann Mathieu’s debut with the New Orleans Saints? The veteran safety experienced some hurdles and hiccups to start his 2022 season, but he settled in as the year progressed and, by campaign’s end, was easily one of their most reliable defenders. Mathieu led the team in solo tackles (64) and interceptions (3), and his 91 combined tackles were a personal best. He was also the only player to log at least one interception, forced fumble, and fumble recovery for New Orleans.
Expectations are higher for him going into 2023. Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar shared his list of the best safeties in the NFL, and Mathieu made the cut. Mathieu was listed at No. 5, with Farrar highlighting his ball skills and ability to tackle over the middle of the field:
After three seasons with the Chiefs in which he picked up a Super Bowl ring and firmly established himself as one of the NFL’s best hybrid safeties, Mathieu went back home to Louisiana, as the former LSU star signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Saints, and got to work in Dennis Allen’s aggressive, man-heavy coverages. Mathieu played just 315 snaps at free safety last season as opposed to 525 in the box, 195 in the slot, 74 along the defensive line, and 19 at cornerback. But when defending passes in the deep third, he allowed just six catches on 14 targets for 71 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and a passer rating of 53.0.
But he isn’t the only safety with strong ties to New Orleans to make the cut. Former Saints second-round draft pick Vonn Bell was ranked at No. 11, having further developed his game in a three-year run with the Cincinnati Bengals that led to him signing a lucrative free agent contract with the Carolina Panthers offseason.
Another former Saints safety, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, was ranked above Mathieu at No. 3. He competed for the NFL lead with six interceptions last season, his first away from New Orleans, and his first campaign in which he primarily lined up at safety rather than in the slot. The trade that sent him away brought him everything he sought but a long-term contract — he ended up signing a prove-it deal with the Detroit Lions this spring.
That’s not all. Bell and Gardner-Johnson’s old teammate Marcus Williams was included as an honorable mention. Another former Saints second-round pick, Williams was one of the NFL’s best ballhawks (his 15 interceptions ranked 12th in the league), which helped him earn a substantial contract with the Baltimore Ravens last year as a free agent.
So what can we take away from this? The Saints know what they’re doing in evaluating the secondary, especially at safety. Few teams have drafted and developed talent with this kind of consistency. Between Dennis Allen’s coaching and Jeff Ireland’s eye for talent, as well as all the contributions of their position coaches, scouts, and support staff, the Saints are doing well in the defensive backfield even with so many of their former players suiting up on other teams.
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