State of the Offseason Saints: Safety
The needle is starting to move for the Saints this offseason, at least on the coaching front. After the reported hiring of Klint Kubiak for the offensive coordinator, New Orleans at least has a clearer plan of where they are wanting to go to help put together a better product next season.
We're nearing the end of our offseason look at the Saints, which has focused on each position group and assesses the needs and outlook over the next couple of months. The safeties are our final area to look at on the defense, which really saw some good play at times and seemingly got better down the stretch.
STATE OF THE OFFSEASON SAINTS SERIES: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Offensive Line | Defensive Line | Linebacker | Cornerback
Saints Safety Overview
Nov 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) celebrates with teammates after an interception against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Players Under Contract: Tyrann Mathieu, Marcus Maye, Jordan Howden, J.T. Gray
Free Agent Outlook: Johnathan Abram, Lonnie Johnson Jr., Ugo Amadi
Priority Level: Medium
The safety spot was an area we felt pretty good about going into training camp after the work that was put in during the offseason. New Orleans had the health and depth on the backend that gave a lot of confidence to pair well with the corner group. The additions of free agents Lonnie Johnson Jr., Ugo Amadi and Johnathan Abram were all really smart pickups, and then the team also drafted Minnesota's Jordan Howden in the 5th Round.
Maye and Mathieu were a strong tandem out of the gate, with Maye particularly being strong in the first two games. He was all over the field and was making a big impact. Unfortunately, absences derailed his season. He'd miss three straight games due to suspension, come back for two, miss another and play three more before being an inactive and getting shut down for the year.
Tyrann Mathieu went the distance for a second straight season and tied for a team-high four interceptions for New Orleans after leading them in 2022 with three. He led the way with 1,097 defensive snaps (99.1%) as well. Jordan Howden's training camp experience at both safety positions led to him starting seven games and overcoming a really crazy finger injury early in the season.
In the final two contests of the year, Johnathan Abram showed how much film study impacted his play on the field, as he had some really memorable moments for the defense. He was one of the better stories in the locker room too, really working and learning all season on the practice squad before getting on the active roster. J.T. Gray, known for his excellence on special teams, battled injuries most all of the year but still ended up playing in 14 games for New Orleans.
So, where does that leave the Saints over the next couple of months? Maye could easily be a cut candidate for the Saints in the offseason, as he's just played in half of the games since being signed as a free agent in 2022. He hasn't exactly lived up to the three-year, $28.5 million deal that included $15 million in guarantees. New Orleans could easily re-sign Abram and Johnson Jr. for less, and designating Maye as a post-June 1 cut could save the team $7.2 million. They really like Jordan Howden and his outlook, and players like Abram and Johnson Jr. proved they could play.
The Saints really had a strong evaluation on Jordan Howden that paid off, and the draft will likely see them add at least one or two defensive backs to the mix. That's just how it goes. You can never have too many back there, and the undrafted process will surely bring some more on. Taking Maye out of the equation and re-signing at least Abram and Johnson Jr. would be a smart move and a realistic path.
Coaches Joe Woods and Marcus Robertson made a strong impact in their first season with the secondary. Both had a way of teaching everyone that helped them slow down the game and also increase their efficiency. We can only hope for an encore performance for the New Orleans defense here when it comes to this group, which seems to be a good bet right now.
