Underhill reports that the deal is a one-year agreement worth up to $7.2 million. His cap hit going into 2025 was set to be $11.3 million. However, the “up to” language in the agreement suggests potential incentives in the new contract, while existing pro-rated bonuses make the exact cap impact unclear for now.
However, by agreeing to an incentive-based deal, Mathieu demonstrates his willingness to help the Saints protect themselves if certain performance or playing time benchmarks aren’t met. A very team-first approach by the veteran safety and New Orleans native.
Earlier this offseason, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reported that the Saints were considering releasing Mathieu. That’s a projection that will not come to fruition thanks to this newly re-worked deal. This is great news for the Saints, especially on the heels of the departure of last year’s starting safety Will Harris to the Washington Commanders.
New Orleans will certainly look to continue to tend to the safety room. However, the team will not be without one of its most important leaders in the process.
