Is it time to trade the honey badger?
By: Jake Rajala
The New Orleans Saints don’t exactly have a young roster. On defense, they have a few veterans that hold the defense together. They have Demario Davis, Cameron Jordan, and Tyrann Mathieu. I expect Jordan and Davis to play their last season in 2025. As for Mathieu, I believe he has a few seasons left in his pocket.
With that said, Mathieu is still talented. The issue is that he’s playing on a team that will have a rookie or second-year QB leading them out to battle. Many analysts believe they will be the worst team next season. I don’t want the Honey Badger to waste his time on a team that’s doomed for the next couple of seasons. I want to see him chase a Super Bowl ring.
Matt Holder from Bleacher Report suggests that the Saints flip their veterans on defense to another team. Not only is Jordan beloved in the city like Drew Brees (as Jordan has his own day), but he wouldn’t be worth any type of mid-pick. The Saints also run a defense with two ILBs, so Davis’s role is too important, especially with Pete Werner (the other ILB) being an average LB. However, Mathieu has some gas left in the tank. If Harrison Smith can make plays at 36, then the Honey Badger can play till he’s 37.
If the Saints move on from Mathieu, they still have Justin Reid and Jonas Sanker (2025 third round pick) at safety. Plus, Alontae Taylor has experience at safety.
Mathieu would be worth a mid-round pick in my opinion. He’s coming off a modest season, where he had a few ints. He also has shown to be involved a lot, which may be surprising with his age. He had 1,015 snaps last season.
Similar to Jordan, Tyrann is a fan favorite. However, I don’t believe that he has quite built up his Saints love as much as Jordan has, as Cam has been wreaking havoc for a decade with the Saints.
If Mickey Loomis really wants to move on from all three veterans mentioned, I’d like to see Davis moved after this upcoming season. Jordan plays at a spot where there is a couple of other studs (such as Chase Young and Carl Granderson). If they can actually get a player in return for Jordan, I would be fine with that. The Saints also have talent at safety, so it wouldn’t be chaos if the moves on.
Some possible fits are the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, and San Francisco 49ers.
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