3 free agent safeties the Saints could call to replace Tyrann Mathieu
Starting a rookie such as Jonas Sanker right off the bat would be difficult, as it would not give him time to develop, but at the same time, the franchise is clearly going in the direction of a younger core. With that said, getting someone to take the spot for a year alongside Justin Reid, who can provide value as a starter and give Sanker some time to work with the defensive scheme, would be beneficial. So, here are three free agents the Saints could look into in the coming weeks:
1. Justin Simmons
Clearly one of the most talented players on the market, and despite choosing to go to the Atlanta Falcons last offseason over the Saints, he has plenty of gas left in the tank to give, which is what matters. The 31-year-old had a quality season with Atlanta in 2024, and the five seasons prior, he was either a Pro Bowler, All-Pro, or both. This is the type of talent that could change the Saints' secondary, and maybe they will consider looking into him once again.
2. Jordan Whitehead
Jordan Whitehead is an extremely fun option to add to the Saints' secondary, as he has been an absolute menace in the secondary for multiple years now. Despite a somewhat down year in 2024 by his standards, he was making the switch back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after two years away with the New York Jets. In the span of four seasons from 2020 to 2023, he picked up 10 interceptions, 29 pass deflections, and 21 tackles for loss. An intriguing option for the Saints who could be a fun pairing alongside Justin Reid.
3. Quandre Diggs
Quandre Diggs should be a no-brainer to look into for New Orleans, as he has been an absolute standout for multiple years of his career, and despite an injury in 2024, is ready to come back, as was reported Tuesday morning by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Diggs had three consecutive Pro Bowl seasons from 2020-2022, picking up 14 interceptions in that span along with 24 pass deflections. While he may be a little further removed from his prime seasons compared to Whitehead, he could be someone to watch for as a short-term rental.
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