Insider floats 4 ‘splash’ free agents for Commanders if star QB isn’t available

4. Tyrann Mathieu

"Rivera loooooooves to tout the virtue of position flexibility. The “Honey Badger” can play both safety positions and slot corner. More importantly, Mathieu, 30, is durable and a known leader in the secondary. A unit that dealt with miscommunication all season could stand a vocal, versatile playmaker on its side."

Another candidate to re-sign with his current team, Tyrann Mathieu would be a dream addition to a Commanders secondary that was plagued by communication breakdowns and giving up big plays this past season.

For context, Washington allowed a 100.8 passer rating (fifth-worst in NFL), 4333 passing yards (third-worst) and 34 touchdowns (worst). The unit also gave up 51 passes of 20 or more yards and 10 passes of 40 or more yards.

While Mathieu wouldn’t fix all of the Commanders’ problems, he was an instrumental component of the Chiefs’ miraculous defensive turnaround this season and his ability to play multiple positions would be a welcomed sight to a secondary that is largely designated to one specific role.

Mathieu just put a bow on his ninth NFL season, but he’s still just 29 years old and has been named a first-team All-Pro two times in the last three years. During that span, the Honey Badger has logged 213 tackles, 27 pass breakups, 13 interceptions (two touchdowns) and eight tackles for loss.

We really don’t need to sell Mathieu’s resume. The bottom line is he’s a top-five player at a position that currently lacks a starter alongside Kam Curl and his propensity to generate turnovers and splash plays would be a revelation for a D that forced only 19 takeaways and finished with a -5 turnover differential in 2021.

Should the Commanders go all-out in pursuit of a star safety this offseason, Mathieu, assuming he’s available, should be the pick.