Arrowheadlines: The futures of Orlando Brown and Tyrann Mathieu are the stories of the offseason

The latest

Top 101 NFL free agents of 2022: Davante Adams, Chris Godwin lead off ranking | NFL.com

5 - Orlando Brown

OT · Age: 26

The Chiefs gave up a first-round pick for Brown in a trade a year ago. Considering that investment and his solid play in 2021, there’s little reason to think he’ll hit the open market.

The NFL’s 60 best free agents for the 2022 season | Touchdown Wire

5 Tyrann Mathieu, DB, Kansas City Chiefs

It seemed that in the Chiefs’ 2021 season, Mathieu was more famous for expressing his displeasure with the coverage abilities of teammate Daniel Sorensen than he was for anything he did on the field himself.

Well, Mathieu had a point. Several, in fact. As for his own 2021 performance, Mathieu was named the Chiefs’ Derrick Thomas MVP Award winner, and he allowed 39 catches on 51 targets for 397 yards, 241 yards after the catch, three touchdowns, three interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 93.3. Mathieu’s value to a defense is about more than just metrics, though — he’s the guy who can play credibly everywhere from the line to the box to the slot to free safety, and can erase quarterbacks and receivers with his range, quickness to the ball, and diagnostic skills.

If the Chiefs don’t get a deal done here, or if they don’t franchise Mathieu, some defensive coordinator is going to get himself one of the NFL’s best shot-callers.

As long as he doesn’t put Mathieu anywhere near a safety who can’t

One critical move each NFL team should make: Trading Russell Wilson, moving on from Zeke Elliott on to-do list | CBS Sports

Kansas City Chiefs

Franchise Orlando Brown, get rid of Frank Clark and focus on defensive line and pass catchers beyond that.

Making NFL offseason moves for AFC teams: How to improve all 16 and fill needs in free agency and 2022 draft | ESPN

Kansas City Chiefs

Bring back Tyrann Mathieu.

For both sides, though, a reunion makes sense. Mathieu’s reliability and versatility lets the Chiefs spend less at cornerback, while his best chance of winning a Super Bowl is with his current team. The safety market has leveled up since he signed his most recent contract, but I have to think the Chiefs would bring him back if they can get a deal done. Depending on how many years they want to add for cap purposes, he’s looking at a three-year, $54 million pact, whether it comes in Kansas City or elsewhere.

2022 NFL Mock Draft: Falcons take QB of the future at No. 8, Patriots add big WR, Jets pass on OL help | CBS Sports

George Karlaftis EDGE

Kansas City

The defense got better over the course of the season but the Chiefs need to do a better job getting after the quarterback. Karlaftis looks the part, and flashed at times last season for Purdue. If he can play with more consistency he could end up as a steal at this point in the draft.

Steven Nelson Free Agency Profile: Potential landing spots, contract situation, stats, and more | Pro Football Network

Possible landing spots for Nelson

NFL teams not looking to pay top dollar for a cornerback are logical destinations for Nelson. The Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs could be potential fits. Nelson was with the Chiefs for the first four years of his career (2015-2018). So, a return may be beneficial for both sides.

Around the NFL

Packers preparing short-term deal if Aaron Rodgers decides to stay in Green Bay | NFL.com

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday that the Packers and Rodgers’ representation are working on a deal should he decide to remain in Green Bay.

“Nothing is done, but they are having discussions,” Rapoport said on NFL Total Access. ”They are having negotiations to have a deal, hopefully for them, ready to go if and when Aaron Rodgers firmly and finally decides that he wants to return.”

Rapoport adds it would be a short-term deal that would make Rodgers the highest-paid player in the NFL on a per year basis.

Agent: Kyler Murray ‘absolutely’ wants to be Arizona Cardinals’ long-term QB, sent contract proposal to team | ESPN

After weeks of drama, the statement made two things clear: Murray is committed to remaining with the Cardinals long term, and he “desperately wants to win the Super Bowl.”

By putting the onus on the Cardinals to get a deal done, Burkhardt opted for a tactic that Cardinals general manager Steve Keim has sworn against during his 10 years at the helm: negotiating publicly. Murray’s unhappiness and frustration with the Cardinals, who went through a second straight second-half collapse this season, which resulted in an embarrassing blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round, hasn’t been a secret.

Packers, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Jaguars, Saints to play international games in 2022 | NFL.com

Five NFL teams will play 2022 international games in three countries — highlighted by the Green Bay Packers’ first international trip and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing the first-ever regular-season game in Germany — the league announced Monday.

The Arizona Cardinals will play in the NFL’s first game in Mexico since 2019, while the Packers will be joined by the Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints in playing games in the United Kingdom. The Bucs will debut in Germany.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs on the rise headed into the 2022 offseason

Bulls

Mecole Hardman: Depending on expectations, opinions about Hardman vary. If you’re looking for him to be either a No. 1 or No. 2 wide receiver (or to justify his draft capital), you’re likely to still be disappointed — and you probably will be for the rest of his career. Whether they’re fair or not, he simply isn’t likely to live up to those standards. But that doesn’t mean Hardman won’t be a valuable part of the team in 2022. He’s still on his rookie deal, which means he’s relatively cheap. After a 2021 campaign with 59 catches for 693 yards and two touchdowns — and a fairly productive postseason — he’s continued to increase his production each season. Hardman has settled into a role where he can contribute on the ground, in the air and in the return game. The assumption is that Kansas City will add a front-line line wideout (or two) this offseason. With the pressure off — and expectations reset — Hardman can be a valuable and dangerous Swiss Army Knife in an offense that needs multiple playmakers.

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