The New Orleans Saints are entering a new era this offseason, set to officially hire a new coach soon. When a franchise enters a new era, they must determine who will enter the next chapter with them, and who will be left behind. That’s a question New Orleans will have to answer several times this offseason, becasue the team has multiple veterans near the end of the road.
One thing working against the Saints is them being an old, expensive team. As a result, they have quite a few players that could either retire this offseason, be traded to another team, or prepare for their final seasons in New Orleans. Among the players in that category is veteran safety Tyrann Mathieu.
Mathieu will turn 33 this offseason, and next year will be his 13th season in the league. Next season will also be the final year of his contract with the Saints. As a New Orleans native, he has talked about how much it means to him that his career is nearing its end while he’s playing at home. The question, though, is if his playing career will actually end in New Orleans.
Not everyone is convinced it well. In a recent Bleacher Report piece, NFL writer Gary Davenport projected six trades that could reshape the league this offseason. One of those trades were New Orleans sending Mathieu to the Baltimore Ravens for a fifth-round pick.
Trade idea has Saints sending Tyrann Mathieu to the Ravens
As Davenport details it, it’s no secret New Orleans could be hitting the reset button this offseason, and part of that process could be exchanging veteran players for draft capital. With Baltimore knocking on the door of a Super Bowl, they’d be a willing participant for a trade.
"It's hardly a secret that the Saints could be holding a fire sale this offseason, especially where aging players are concerned. 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… It's not at all unfair to say he's lost a step. But 85 percent of Mathieu could be a big boost for the Ravens—and one that a cap-strapped Baltimore team can afford."Gary Davenport (Bleacher Report)
This is certainly a move that would make sense for New Orleans, and would also give Mathieu a better chance to compete for a Super Bowl. However, it’s not hard to see why the Saints may not make a move like this. For better or worse, New Orleans has been relatively loyal to players.
If Mathieu makes it known to the team he’d rather stay in New Orleans for the final years of his career, the franchise will likely allow him to finish his final season with the team.