3 Destinations for Tyrann Mathieu in Free Agency

The Kansas City Chiefs have announced that they will be using the franchise tag on offensive lineman Orlando Brown. That means that All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu will officially hit the free agent market this offseason. The 29-year-old will be a highly coveted option for teams in need of secondary help.

Mathieu has shined over the last three seasons, racking up 213 tackles, 27 pass breakups, 13 interceptions and 3.0 sacks during that span. There is little doubt that he will be looking for an expensive multi-year deal, but there are a couple of sneaky teams worth keeping an eye on here.

Here's a look at three destinations for Mathieu in free agency.

Tyrann Mathieu Free Agency

1. Philadelphia Eagles

This may very well be a make-or-break offseason for the Philadelphia Eagles. Not only does the team have three first round picks in the NFL Draft, but it also has a projected $20.9 million in available cap space. Don't be surprised if they make a push for Mathieu after all. Both of Philadelphia's starting safeties from 2021 are set to hit free agency and the Eagles could use a difference-maker on defense. Mathieu can do it all. While he obviously thrives in coverage, he can also rush the passer and fill in gaps in rush defense. Giving defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon a star like Mathieu would only improve the Eagles' Super Bowl chances next season.

2. Chicago Bears

The only safety currently under contract or the Chicago Bears is Eddie Jackson. New head coach Matt Eberflus has been praised as a defensive minded leader and could look toward Mathieu as a way to address a need. It's worth noting that there is a big connection here, too. General manager Ryan Poles worked in Kansas City when the team signed Mathieu in 2019 and has seen his impact firsthand. The Bears allowed 23.9 points per game last season, which was the team's highest mark since 2016. They also gave up 10.4 yards per completion (T-No. 18 in NFL). Bringing in a three-time Pro Bowler to improve a weak secondary seems like a logical first step in improving.

3. Dallas Cowboys

Another NFC East team that could be in the running to sign Mathieu is the Dallas Cowboys. Yes, it may not seem like head coach Mike McCarthy's secondary needs help after posting the second-best pass defense DVOA rating in the NFL this past season. However, Dallas may lose safeties Damontae Kazee and Malik Hooker to free agency. A hole has suddenly been created on a roster that has the makings of a true contender. That has to be enticing for Mathieu. The Cowboys do not have a ton of projected cap space available, but the team is reportedly shedding cash left and right. That makes them a team to watch out for.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.