The Denver Broncos are a potential destination for arguably the top free agent left on the market.
According to Bleacher Report’s Ian Wharton, the Broncos are one of several teams that are considered the “best” fit for free agent Tyrann Mathieu. The 29-year-old veteran has spent the past three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, garnering two All-Pro selections and two Pro Bowl berths during his tenure in Kansas City.
Wharton explains that cap space, defensive scheme and roster readiness are all reasons for why the Broncos are one of five teams that could fit in Mathieu into their defensive unit.
“Factoring in cap space, defensive scheme and roster readiness, Mathieu’s best fits are the Broncos, Chargers, Eagles and Dolphins,” “The Colts also make sense if they want to become less reliant on two-high safety looks and will unleash Mathieu’s ability to roam deep.”
Why Mathieu is a Fit For Broncos
Mathieu entered free agency as one of the top free agents. In fact, NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal ranked the veteran safety as the sixth-best free agent. However, we’re approaching the end of March and Mathieu remains unsigned.
The nine-year veteran is one of the more versatile safeties in the league, proving capable of playing free safety, strong safety, inside linebacker and slot cornerback. In fact, 21% of his snaps were at slot corner and 20% were at inside linebacker, as Wharton notes.
Mathieu also excels in coverage (75.7 grade), ranking 14th among all safeties in the category in 2021, according to Pro Football Focus.
At the current moment, the Broncos are lacking a suitable starter at strong safety. One of the possible starters is 22-year-old Caden Sterns, a 22-year-old safety who started two games last season while seeing 311 defensive snaps. Sterns notched 28 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions during his rookie season.
The other option is 25-year-old P.J. Locke, who notched just six tackles last season. In fact, Locke saw just 27 snaps on defense last year, seeing the bulk of his playing time (320 snaps) on special teams.
If the Broncos don’t re-sign 2021 starting strong safety Kareem Jackson, Denver could make a run at Mathieu. According to Spotrac, Mathieu’s market value is $14.8 million per season. However, with less interest than he expected out of suitors in free agency, Mathieu could very well take a bargain deal to play for a contender such as the Broncos.
If there’s a sizable chance of Denver signing the proven veteran, Mathieu would likely have to accept less than his market value. According to Over The Cap, the Broncos will have $14.5 million in “effective” cap space once the 2022 draft class is added to the roster.
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Paton: Broncos Could Still Re-Sign Gordon and Jackson
The Broncos are keeping the option open of re-signing their strong safety from last season (Jackson) and their starting running back from 2021 in Melvin Gordon.
General manager George Paton left the idea open during recent remarks on Sunday, March 27, according to Andrew Mason of DNVR Sports.
“We’ve spoken to both their agents,” Paton said. “It’s ongoing. We’d love to bring everyone back, but we just can’t do it. We’re still talking with those two — really good players.”
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Broncos Considered ‘Best’ Fit for 4-Time All-Pro Free Agent