Chiefs: 3 Tyrann Mathieu replacements in NFL Free Agency

Marcus Williams

There’s no doubt about Tyrann Mathieu’s impact on the Chiefs defense. Realistically, the only way to truly replace him would be to go all out with the top safety available in free agency. That would be Marcus Williams of the Saints.

The advantage of signing Williams instead of Mathieu is age.

Mathieu will be turning 30 in May. He’s still warranted a new contract but there will be diminishing returns on that as he continues to age.

Instead of going all in on Mathieu for a shorter span, Kansas City could look to Williams as the future of their defense. He’ll turn 26 in September so his next contract should be in the prime of his career.

There’s a decent chance the Chiefs will look to remake their secondary beyond Mathieu. Williams has gotten progressively better through his NFL career and would be a perfect piece to build around even if he’s not a like-for-like replacement for Mathieu.