Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu announced his retirement on social media (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport), ending the Honey Badger’s sterling 12-year career.
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said that the team was informed of Mathieu’s decision in advance, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, but it still came as somewhat of a surprise. It also leaves the team without their starting safety for every game for the last three years with six weeks to go until the regular season.
Loomis indicated that the Saints will explore adding a safety, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, but they may already have Mathieu’s replacement on the roster. It won’t be veteran offseason signing Justin Reid, as he was already expected to start this year. Instead, 2023 fifth-rounder Jordan Howden jumps out as the most likely candidate. Though he has only logged 11 career starts, Howden played just under 50% of the Saints’ defensive snaps over the last two years, primarily as a free safety. That experience should put him in a strong position to win the starting job opposite Reid.
More to come.
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