Sources: Free agent DB Tyrann Mathieu had a virtual visit with the #Eagles, as Philly has emerged as a prime location for one of the top free agents. The Honey Badger visited the #Saints this week, and now has done a zoom with Philly. His market is heating up.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 7, 2022
Tyrann Mathieu’s market is picking up. The former Kansas City Chiefs safety visited the New Orleans Saints this week but left the facility without a deal, and now he’s hearing from other suitors. Mathieu spoke with the Philadelphia Eagles in a virtual interview over Zoom on Thursday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
It’s unclear what sort of contract Mathieu is looking for, but the Saints can outbid Philly if they choose. New Orleans currently ranks fifth in the NFL with more than $19.7 million in salary cap space; the Eagles are closer to the middle of the pack at about $15.6 million, though of course both teams need to set aside some money to sign their rookie draft class.
You have to wonder if the Saints are feeling enough pressure to pull out all the stops for Mathieu, though. He would be something of a luxury signing after the team brought in Marcus Maye and Justin Evans and re-signed P.J. Williams through free agency, and they could prefer to invest a draft pick in a cost-effective young player instead.
If Mathieu’s contract parameters are steep (and they should be, at this stage in his career; he owes it to himself and his family to win the best contract, even if playing in front of a friendly home crowd would be powerful), the Saints may not feel compelled to make a competitive offer. The Eagles are one team that has chased their creativity in structuring contracts to fit under the salary cap, employing void years and restructures at will. I don’t get the feeling New Orleans has the appetite to enter a bidding war. We’ll just have to wait and see how this plays out.
