New Orleans native Tyrann Mathieu is one of the Saints’ most important defensive players. The three-time All-Pro is entering his 12th season and is still one of the league’s best safeties entering his age-32 season. How does he compare to the top safeties in the NFL?
Photo: AP
Pro Football Focus just graded their top 32 safeties and Mathieu was 10th.
“He earned an 80.0-plus PFF overall grade in back-to-back seasons for the first time in his career, and as a result, his 86.9 overall grade over the past two years ranks fifth among safeties,” the article stated. “Mathieu has also been among the most durable safeties in the league, logging more than 1,000 snaps in seven consecutive seasons.”
Mathieu finished his second season in New Orleans with four interceptions, nine passes defended and 75 total tackles.
Here’s my top four NFL safeties along with where I think Mathieu falls on this list:
1. Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers
PFF got it right at the first spot, though it feels like the top-two are in a tier of their own. Antoine Winfield Jr. is the best and highest-paid safety in the NFL. The 25-year-old just signed a four-year, $84 million deal this offseason after earning a first-team All-Pro spot and finishing sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Winfield Jr. tied the league-high for fumbles forced (six) and also had six sacks, three interceptions and four passes defended. He does everything, and is the most important part of Todd Bowles’ defense that allowed the sixth-fewest points per game (19.1) in 2023.
2. Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens
In his first season as a full-time starter, Kyle Hamilton made a decent case for himself as the best safety in the NFL. The 2022 14th overall pick is 6-foot-4, and uses all of it to the Ravens’ advantage. He had four interceptions, 13 passes defended, three sacks and 10 tackles for loss last season. He also had 11 tackles and a tackle for loss against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship where the Ravens held the Super Bowl champs to 17 points.
Hamilton is already really smart, and if the Chiefs game indicates anything it’s that he’ll be the NFL’s best safety in short time.
3. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Steelers
He only played 10 games in 2023, but Minkah Fitzpatrick’s impact can’t be forgotten. The three-time All-Pro is a ball hawk who punished teams for throwing near him before last season. He tied the league-high in interceptions in 2022 (six) and unless teams don’t throw to him he’ll probably be up near the top of that list again.
4. Jessie Bates III, Atlanta Falcons
Falcons safety Jessie Bates III probably wishes he signed his contract a year later. He joined Atlanta on a four-year, $64 million deal that looks like a bargain compared to what the top safeties are making now. Granted, he didn’t look this good a season ago with the Cincinnati Bengals. Bates had six interceptions, 11 passes defended, three forced fumbles and three more tackles for loss.
Bates had a forced fumble and pick-six in Week 12 against the Saints last season. Those two turnovers ended up being the difference in a crucial divisional game. Both of them came when New Orleans’ offense was in the red zone.
Best of the rest
The four players listed above have done enough to earn spots as the clear-cut top safeties in the NFL. The next tier of guys includes Mathieu, Xavier McKinney (Packers), Derwin James (Chargers), Jevon Holland (Dolphins), Kyle Dugger (Patriots), Budda Baker and former Saints safety Marcus Williams (Ravens). Any assortment of those players round out the next crop of safeties, and we’ll inevitably see more names rise to the top ranks in the upcoming season.
