It feels like just the sort of move that the Kansas City Chiefs front office would want to make. The only question is whether or not Phidarian Mathis will be available by the time the Chiefs come up in the pecking order of the National Football League's waiver wire process.
The Washington Commanders have officially cut ties with former second-round pick Phidarian Mathis, a young defensive lineman who was part of the 2022 NFL Draft class (the same as that of Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis for the Chiefs). Now, Mathis is subject to a waiver claim and that's something the Chiefs are likely to submit.
All of this is conjecture, of course, but Mathis has several things going for him which should entice hte Chiefs.
One Commanders' trash is another team's treasure.
First, it's important to note that the Chiefs haven't exactly been loading up the cupboards at this position. They've drafted Keondre Coburn only to release him quickly. They traded for Neil Farrell and that didn't work out. In the end, they've resorted to bringing back the same cast of characters every season on one-year contracts because they're at least known quantities with predictable floors—e.g. Mike Pennel, Derrick Nnadi.
That said, the Chiefs will need to solve their future at some point here because those guys will only grow more limited as the years go on and this might even be that tipping point (coming into 2025).
For his part, Mathis is a former Alabama product who came into the league with significant experience at all points across their defensive front, giving him a nice versatility both inside and outside. However, he profiled as a Dalvin Tomlinson comp who was best served as a run-stopper with potential disruptive abilities as well.
He entered the pro ranks about as ready as any lineman can be with 54 games of playing time (mostly starting) for the Crimson Tide against the top competition that college can offer. HIs 12 tackles for loss and 9 sacks in his final season elevated his draft stock to the point that the Commanders selected him in the top 50 players in that draft.
Unfortunately for Mathis, things haven't worked out as hoped in the nation's capital and the front office now in charge has no ties to him. In order to free up a roster spot, the team has now moved on from Mathis and will give him a change of scenery.
Mathis, now 26 years old, has played in 34 percent of snaps in 12 games with only 17 total tackles to show for it. Pro Football Focus has him ranked as the 212th best (worst) lineman out of 217 total graded.