April 30, 2022
The Philadelphia Eagles had a virtual meeting with former Cardinals, Texans, and Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu, according to a multiple reports in early April, however, it was posited as something of what I would call a passive mutual interest.
Through the first five rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Birds have not yet selected a cornerback or a safety, so, you know, they should go ahead an sign Mathieu, AKA the Honey Badger.
Mathieu was a first-team All-Pro for Kansas City both in 2019 and 2020. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2021, though that was probably on the strength of name recognition and popularity. Mathieu is heading into his 10th season in the NFL, and he will turn 30 in May. While his play may have fallen off some last season, Mathieu is still very clearly better than anyone the Eagles have at safety.
The Eagles tried to add a safety this offseason, but they were outbid by the Baltimore Ravens for Marcus Williams. They also had interest in Justin Reid, who signed with the Chiefs while the Eagles were trying to lock down Williams.
Heading into free agency, the safety position was one of the Eagles' most glaring needs, as 2021 starters Rodney McLeod and Anthony Harris were both unrestricted free agents. Harris signed back with the team on a one-year deal. The Eagles' depth chart at safety probably looks like this:
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Anthony Harris | Andre Chachere | Jared Mayden |
| Marcus Epps | K'Von Wallace |
That's not a super inspiring group. The Eagles still need a starting safety, but ideally at the right cost, and there's a decent bet that Mathieu's asking price is inflated, given his All-Pro and Pro Bowl accolades the last three seasons.
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