Chiefs: How Important is Tyrann Mathieu?

They Call Him Landlord

Because he makes them pay!

For the past month, Laddie Morse and I have tossed around what the Kansas City Chiefs would do this offseason to rebuild the Defensive Front Four, but improve the defense, overall. Tyrann Mathieu (TM) figures into the picture. Extend him? Release him? Or, tag him? This has been something both of us have deliberated and have jointly addressed in conversations for weeks.

Today? I changed my mind about this so, I am going to reflect on those thoughts… and I think Laddie feels the same way. The Chiefs don’t need to fix the Safety group all over again, a position which was updated just three years ago, in 2019. It makes no sense to either of us to allow the Safety group to be weakened enough to require dire actions in Free Agency and the draft. After all, both of us are predicting that Dan Sorensen departs in 2022. Consequently, releasing Mathieu doubles down on the Safety moves this offseason — and then some — making the Safety position group far too precarious for the defense as a whole.

Import of Tyrann Mathieu

1. TM sets the back end of the defense, aids the other DBs for each play
2. TM is a leader and a “Chief” who wants to finish his career in K.C.
3. Players and coaches trust TM on and off the field
4. TM is a “Foundation” type player except he is nearing the end of his career (not a 5 year+ player)
5. Using Laddie’s 3-step Covert Approach that keeps opposing teams from pre-determining what the Chiefs will do in the draft, it only makes sense to retain Tyrann. Otherwise, they must sign another Safety in Free Agency, prior to the draft.
6. With so many different needs to fulfill on defense, retaining Mathieu reduces their immediate need (though a draft pick is still necessary)

I no longer believe, or hope that Tyrann Mathieu is moving on in Free Agency, nor that this is what Veach & Co. should do. Here’s some situational analysis, the reasoning for retaining Mathieu.

The Factors

1. Both Laddie and I agree, the Chiefs first offseason task is re-signing LOT, Orlando Brown to a 4-5 year contract. This will be done before any other consideration. It could be a Franchise Tag, but we predict Brown is signed to a multi-year contract. That leaves the Franchise Tag open to use on Mathieu, if necessary.
2. The Front Four needs to get upgraded, big time, and is the defensive priority.
3. It is anticipated that the Franchise Tag value of a Safety is in the range of $13-to-$14M, but it is not Top Safety money and the Chiefs can use the Franchise Tag to prevent Mathieu from reaching Free Agent status. The top four paid Safeties in the NFL are: Jamal Adams (SEA) $17,500,0002, Harrison Smith (MIN) $16,000,0003, Justin Simmons (DEN) $15,250,0004, and Budda Baker (AZC) $14,750,000. Mathieu should be wanting less than Simmons, at least.
4. Mathieu is looking for a multi-year contract situation but… he and his agent know what the near term calls for and that a longer term contract is not in the cards. Mathieu understands that 1-3 years is likely all he’ll be offered here (if he’s not given the Franchise Tag).
5. Tyrann Mathieu wants to finish his career in Kansas City. It sounds like he’s willing to take a team friendly deal. A must if he wants to remain in K.C. in 2022.
6. The Chiefs should sign Tyrann Mathieu to a 3-year contract that has a financial value for himself or, a 3-year deal that gives the Chiefs the ability to escape in year three with little financial pain. At the very least use the franchise tag on Mathieu so he doesn’t hit the free agent market.
7. Mathieu turns 30 years old in May and should probably not be expecting more from the Chiefs, or any other team in the league.

The Chiefs have released LB Anthony Hitchens. I see the additional necessity in making funds available for the cap, so there will be other releases and cuts, like possibly that of Frank Clark.

For the reason of on and off-the-field leadership, Tyrann Mathieu will be retained, either with a 2 or 3-year contract or via the Franchise tag. The Chiefs need to avoid long-term contracts such as they have gotten into with Anthony Hitchens and Frank Clark (two bets that didn’t pay off). However, it makes crucial sense from the framework of reducing the number of offseason tasks Veach must accomplish and it puts the Chiefs in a position where the defense can assert its will –> something that DC Steve Spagnuolo desperately needs. A functional rebuild of the defense is necessary and the play calling of Mathieu is a key component, especially since Hitchens is gone.

What’s to Like About Mathieu

I don’t need to go far in establishing Tyrann’s bona fides. He proves it on and off the field. This particular statement by Mathieu encompasses it all:

“I think me, as a leader, as a guy that’s been cut, been humiliated, embarrassed, whatever you put on it, I think it’s important just to embrace the guys around you, really support them, encourage them and then kinda give them that confidence. Let them know that you believe in them, and hopefully they’ll get to believing in themselves.”

Detriments to Retaining Mathieu

To be truthful there are only two negatives: Mathieu’s age and the cost of retaining him. So far Tyrann has not shown signs of his age affecting him and we have accounted for the cost: Tag or a 3-year contract but if it’s a three year deal, he’ll be 32 by the end of that deal.

This is really a question regarding monies. What we saw when Melvin Ingram hit the grass and his snap count increased dramatically. It was a rejuvenated Defense that aided the Chiefs to a six-game win streak. That was after the 3-and-4 start and getting beat by the Tennessee Titans soundly. My point about adding Melvin to the mix is that he brought “Juice” (a Terez Paylor term) to Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. It was sorely needed and it worked.

It wasn’t enough and that is why a rebuild of the Front Four on defense is truly: Job One. So, Melvin Ingram should be a part of that. Besides, I foresee that Ingram, and perhaps Emmanuel Ogbah, could be brought back to the Organization and improve the pressure, hits, and sacks produced by the Defensive line. Behind that is the LB crew. Backing it all up is the secondary is critical and that has been solidly led by Tyrann Mathieu.

Mathieu Wants to Stay in K.C.

Mathieu has spoken often about wanting to stay with the Chiefs. The Chiefs want him to stay as well. How they work that out can be accomplished between the two sides. The work that needs to be done by GM Brett Veach will require making room to extend (or Franchise Tag) Tyrann. I think that the chiefs extended the red carpet for Mathieu when he was awarded The Derrick Thomas MVP recognition. I also think he plays balls-to-the-wall football and is a champion.

Tyrann said recently:

“The hope and the dream is to continue to be a

Kansas City Chief. We created so much history

the last couple years. I want to be in Kansas City

and I think everybody knows that.”

Tyrann Mathieu on NFL Network: Discusses being up for the #WPMOY Award.

Conclusion

Multiply the Successes and Minimize Weakness

Look for Brett Veach to add a Safety to the back-end mix of personnel. Mathieu is a perfect leader for newcomers so we are anticipating that GM Brett Veach drafts a safety. It is a position group that needs attention just like the Front Four, Linebackers, and Cornerbacks. As we have observed over and over, the defense is the focus of the 2022 offseason. Tyrann Mathieu can be of great import to the defense, but also to the future of the “Safety Group” in order to train up and set on the Chiefs way. It only makes sense to do this, even if Veach has to use the Franchise Tag to prevent Tyrann Mathieu from becoming a Free Agent.

Count on Mathieu returning with his enthusiasm, leadership, and multi-role play for 2022 and a bit beyond that. Hopefully this Landlord doesn’t try to make the Chiefs pay.

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Editor’s Note: Point by point, I couldn’t agree with David more!

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David Bell — ArrowheadOne

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