Tyrann Mathieu remains one of the most talented unsigned NFL players. The last time he was a free agent (in 2019), the Chiefs made him the league’s highest-paid safety. PFN NFL Analyst Dalton Miller ranked Mathieu as the No. 2 NFL safety last spring. Now approaching 30 years old, he’s still a Pro Bowl talent. With that in mind, what would be some intriguing landing spot predictions for Mathieu in this free agency cycle?
Predictions for Tyrann Mathieu in 2022 NFL free agency
With several teams spending big already this week, there’s a lot less money to go around. Available cap space keeps shrinking. Long-term investments grow riskier. Mathieu is in a tough spot as a terrific player who needs to get paid, but he’s running out of options. And with the Chiefs signing the younger Justin Reid to take his place, where might Mathieu realistically end up?
New Orleans Saints
Last week, PFN NFL reporter Aaron Wilson linked Mathieu to the Saints. Now with Marcus Williams headed to Baltimore, New Orleans needs to fill a hole at safety. Mathieu grew up in The Big Easy. He went to LSU. The Cardinals drafted him in 2013, two rounds after the Saints selected their safety of the future, Kenny Vaccaro. Ironically, Vaccaro ended up losing his job a few years later to — you guessed it — Marcus Williams.
The Saints have worked dutifully this offseason to reassess personnel and restructure contracts to get their finances in order for what they hope will be another playoff push. If the contract works, Mathieu could be a nice get at this stage, and the star safety can return home to play out his final best years.
Chicago Bears
Chicago could go one of several ways this season. With a young, high-upside quarterback, an often underappreciated backfield, a couple of capable receiving parts, and a new head coach, the offense could outperform expectations. But on the defensive side, the situation remains dire. The Bears were last in the league in opposing QB rating (103.3) while picking off only 8 passes (the NFL’s fourth-lowest mark).
To compete most weeks, they’ll need at least one big receiver upgrade, rapid development from their young offensive core, and a much-improved defense at various positions. Mathieu would bring a high-functioning veteran presence to a unit lacking in playmaking ability relative to most other teams.
As with every other team, it comes down to how much the Bears can pay him. Fortunately, they still have plenty of cap space. Whether Mathieu accepts a more lucrative short-term deal or a more cost-effective long-term deal, he could make immediate contributions on what fans hope is an up-and-coming franchise.
Indianapolis Colts
This landing spot intrigues me because the Colts already have many of the parts needed to make the playoffs (and perhaps upset a couple of teams). An elite RB and strong defense can make anything possible.
The safety spots have some question marks. Julian Blackmon tore his Achilles last October. While he might be fine for Week 1, it’s fair to wonder how long it will take him to return to 100%. Khari Willis is headed toward his final season on his 2019 rookie contract. There’s certainly a need for someone like Mathieu, and Indy reportedly has more cap space than any other team currently. While a good chunk of that money assuredly will go toward a starting-caliber quarterback, they possess the flexibility to bring in a veteran with Mathieu’s skill set.