NFL Rumors: Mutual interest between Tyrann Mathieu and Los Angeles Rams
The "Honey Badger" Tyrann Mathieu has his eyes on the City of Angels and a union with the Super Bowl LVI winners, the Los Angeles Rams. ESPN's Dan Graziano was the first to report on the rumor.
There’s mutual interest in Tyrann Mathieu and the Rams per @DanGrazianoESPN
Mathieu started off on an Arizona Cardinals team that had potential. Ultimately, it went nowhere in the postseason through his first five seasons with the team. He took a quick pit stop with the Houston Texans en route to winning a conference championship and Super Bowl LIV with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Evidently, Tyrann Mathieu liked being on a contending team, given his interest in the reigning champs.
What other NFL teams are interested in signing Tyrann Mathieu this offseason?
CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan linked Tyrann Mathieu with the Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, and the Dallas Cowboys. Interestingly enough, Sullivan believes the Cowboys will swoop in and meet his gaudy contract demands (reportedly around $15 million annually):
With his market not as hot as some may have expected, that could open the door for a team like the Cowboys to come in and scoop Mathieu up. Dallas has been looking for [a] rangy safety dating back to their previous pursuit of Earl Thomas, and they could finally land a similar type of player in Mathieu to add to what is already an impressive defense.
That would make the Rams a surprise landing spot, though the defending champions don't seem too surprising when linked to anyone these days. Superstar late-season addition Odell Beckam Jr. set the standard for stars flocking to L.A. Fellow LSU alum Tyrann Mathieu would give the Rams another former first-round pick on their loaded roster.
Fellow CBS writer Cody Benjamin sees things transpiring differently, with the Pittsburgh Steelers stealing Tyrann Mathieu off the free-agent market:
'The market for 'Honey Badger' has been unusually slow, which only makes Pittsburgh a better option considering the lack of overpriced bids. The Steelers are still leaning on their defense to win now, and Mathieu next to Minkah Fitzpatrick would give them one of the league's rangiest safety pairings.'
Elsewhere, Tyrann Mathieu has met with the Philadelphia Eagles, who have pressing needs in the secondary. Investing big money in top-flight safety makes sense if the position isn't going to be addressed in the upcoming NFL Draft at the end of April. It's no stretch to say how Mathieu's free agency shakes out could determine draft plans for all of the other NFL teams in the market for his services, too.
The interest in the "Honey Badger" is, by no means, shocking. Tied for 18th in total tackles and 12th in the league in interceptions at his position in 2021, Tyrann Mathieu has rebuilt his value during his time on the Chiefs.
Unfortunately, Kansas City might not reap the rewards of it. The Rams could very well get the best of an NFL veteran from the LSU Tigers, once again, should they lock down Tyrann Mathieu.