Tyrann Mathieu Rumors: Chiefs Never Offered Safety Contract Before Justin Reid Deal

Tyrann Mathieu's time with the Kansas City Chiefs is apparently coming to an end.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Chiefs and former Houston Texans safety Justin Reid agreed to a three-year, $31.5 million deal with $20 million in guaranteed money on Monday.

Following that report, Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN noted Kansas City never offered Mathieu a deal and planned on heading in a different direction this offseason. It appears as if Reid is that different direction.

Reid is just 25 years old, while Mathieu will turn 30 before the 2022 regular season. The former was also a solid playmaker on the back end of Houston's defense and finished the 2021 season with 66 tackles, four passes defended, two interceptions and one forced fumble. Reid figures to slide right into Kansas City's starting lineup.

Still, he doesn't have the resume of Mathieu.

The LSU product has played for the Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans and Chiefs since he entered the league in 2013. He is a three-time All-Pro selection and three-time Pro Bowler who helped Kansas City win the Super Bowl during the 2019 season.

Matt Verderame of FanSided summarized what he meant for the AFC West team:        

Mathieu was a Pro Bowler this past year when he finished with 76 tackles, six passes defended, three interceptions, three fumble recoveries, one sack and one defensive touchdown, which marked the second straight season he returned a pick for a score.

He is also a playoff-tested playmaker with appearances in 11 different postseason games, nine of which came during his time on the Chiefs.

Whichever team lands Mathieu will add one of the high-profile free agents on the market this offseason who was still quite productive this past season. Kansas City had apparently seen enough or at least wasn't interested in whatever it would have taken financially to bring him back, which creates an opportunity for other teams looking for safety help.