Chiefs: 3 Tyrann Mathieu replacements in NFL Free Agency

Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
Jordan Whitehead
Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead. (Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports) /

Jordan Whitehead

Jordan Whitehead has had a solid career with the Buccaneers so far, making him one of the better strong safeties available in free agency this year.

He’s won a Super Bowl, so he knows what it takes to play at the highest level in the biggest games. He’s a capable blitzer with a proven track record of toughness. With four interceptions and 12 pass deflections in the past two seasons together, he’s got the coverage side handled as well.

On the money side, he’d be significantly cheaper than re-signing Mathieu or going after an older or bigger name safety. He’s probably in line for something like $6 million per year instead of the $14-18 it would take for those other options.

He’s also on the verge of turning 25, so his potential to get even better is pretty good. The Chiefs could get in now and enjoy the best years of his career. He may not be a Pro Bowl caliber safety right now but he could become one.