Could the New Orleans Saints bring the Honey Badger home?
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that Tyrann Mathieu is visiting the Saints facility while he's in New Orleans with family and friends, per a source informed of the decision.
Rapoport added that a deal with the free agent is not imminent, but the safety visiting is notable.
Mathieu was born in New Orleans and starred at LSU. His ties to the city are deep, and signing the hometown safety would certainly add pop to a Saints offseason that saw them promote from within after Sean Payton left the club.
One of the top free agents available, Mathieu is a do-it-all safety who can play off the ball and stuff the run and has excellent timing on blitzes. He's the proverbial glue to any defense.
With New Orleans losing Marcus Williams in free agency and watching Malcolm Jenkins retire, the Saints have a need at safety. The club added Marcus Maye in free agency, but he's coming off an Achilles injury.
Pairing Maye with Mathieu would immediately boost the Saints' back end and underscore that New Orleans believes it is a contender in a wide-open NFC.
