The New Orleans Saints enter the 2013 offseason with a litany of issues on the roster. None are as obvious on the team as the ones on the defensive side of the football, specifically in the secondary; the unit surrendered gobs of yardage and points at an alarming (and almost historically bad) pace. Cornerback will certainly be an area of emphasis for the Saints, and many expect the team to address the position during the upcoming draft in April.

Among the many intriguing prospects heading into the draft, none is more interesting than former LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu. Although he only stands at a meager 5’9”, Mathieu is the rare type of playmaker that could totally change the shape of a defense. He was a special teams and dynamic defensive force during his time at LSU, directly impacting games on the biggest of stages.

Nonetheless, Mathieu comes with some baggage.

His troubles with drugs are well documented. He was kicked off the LSU football team after multiple offenses, and hasn’t played a snap in some time. Click here for more info.

Nola.com columnist Jeff Duncan wrote recently that the Saints should consider selecting Mathieu if he is available in the third round. The argument makes sense; the Saints certainly have a need at nickel corner, and Mathieu fills that need beautifully. A support system would be present in New Orleans, and the potential for greatness is too large for the Saints to pass up.

All of those are solid arguments, but I wholeheartedly disagree.

Even with the woes of the New Orleans secondary ever so present, and the want of fans to see a local guy don the black and gold, Tyrann Mathieu needs to go to any other besides the Saints.

Mathieu has been enabled throughout his college career. Being kicked off of a nationally competitive team wasn’t enough for Mathieu to see the light; a subsequent arrest in October last year happened months after his dismissal. From all indications, it seems as though Mathieu has gotten his life back together and appears to be focused solely on football.

Most fans, analysts, and football executives certainly hope that is the case.

If Mathieu wants to succeed at the next level and reach his full potential both as a player and a person, he needs to get out of New Orleans. The pressures of returning to the former lifestyle of drugs and running with the wrong crowd would be undoubtably be higher if played for the Saints.

Tyrann Mathieu will soon be a millionaire. The rapid acquisition of wealth will undoubtably create the opportunity for the wrong people to reenter Tyrann’s life. As much as the organization would try to serve as a base of stability for Mathieu, they can’t monitor him 24/7.

Yes, family and friends would be close to lend support. But the probability of relapse is dramatically higher if he played in New Orleans.

I am rooting for Tyrann Mathieu. I hope to see him on the Sunday night highlights during the season and not on a news ticker detailing some arrest. I don’t want him to follow the sad trail of Len Bias or Dwight Gooden, and have fans always wonder about what could have been.

Unrealized potential and regret are some of the saddest things in life. For Tyrann Mathieu, starting this new chapter in his life will hopefully find a new setting.