It’s taken longer than most fans would have predicted for Tyrann Mathieu to find a home for the 2022 season and beyond in free agency, but perhaps the picture is starting to become clearer for the former Kansas City Chiefs safety.
NFL reporter Ian Rapoport has word that Mathieu is headed to a visit with the New Orlean Saints while in town to see family and friends.
Mathieu entered the offseason as perhaps the single biggest question facing the Chiefs in terms of an overall approach. While the team also had a major issue to deal with in Frank Clark’s gargantuan contract, there was at least some clarity that it needed to be changed. With Mathieu, the future has been fairly uncertain despite both sides maintaining a positive public face toward the other.
Tyrann Mathieu is making his first visit to any NFL team’s facilities this offseason as he heads to the New Orleans Saints.
Interestingly enough, the Saints have already signed one former safety from the Chiefs when they announced that they’d reached terms on a one-year deal with Dan Sorensen.
New Orleans makes sense as a potential home for Mathieu given the need at safety after losing Marcus Williams to the Baltimore Ravens this offseason. It’s also Mathieu’s home state and the former LSU star is already a strong civic presence there in the Big Easy.
Mathieu was nothing short of sensational in his three seasons with the Chiefs, and there’s no denying that he’s a passionate and effective leader on and off the field. However, the Chiefs ultimately decided to replace him with Justin Reid with their first stroke in free agency, making it clear that they’d appreciated his work to date but that the future was about getting younger at the position.
Mathieu was voted the team’s MVP in two of his three seasons in Kansas City and he went to two Pro Bowls and was named to two All-Pro teams in that span of time as well, helping the Chiefs to their first championship in 50 seasons.