According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Kansas City Chiefs are going to use the franchise tag on star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and, if history is any indicator, they could trade him shortly thereafter. Sneed has come a long way since entering the NFL as a fourth-round pick back in 2020. The Louisiana Tech product quickly outplayed his draft stock, establishing himself as one of the better slot cornerbacks in the league during his first three seasons.
During the final year of his rookie contract, Sneed spent more time playing outside and thrived with the increased responsibility. Cornerbacks have never been so valuable in today’s pass-heavy era, and in a vacuum, every team in the league would love to have a player like Sneed on their roster.
Unfortunately for the Chiefs, the game isn’t played in a vacuum, and the tight restraints of the salary cap could mean that the Chiefs have no choice but to trade L’Jarius Sneed. Kansas City currently has $17.48 million in cap space, and they still need to re-sign Chris Jones and add talent to the wide receiver room. Quite frankly, it’s hard to see how they can afford to sign Sneed while still addressing the other needs on the roster – especially considering the cornerback will not take a hometown discount.
The #Chiefs last did this in 2019 when they franchise-tagged DE Dee Ford and then flipped him to San Francisco for a 2nd-round pick. https://t.co/Hoxsr0u89Q
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 27, 2024
Chiefs Will Tag L’Jarius Sneed, Could Trade Him Soon (Report)
As NFL insider Ari Meirov notes in the tweet above, history indicates that the Chiefs could trade L’Jarius Sneed if both sides can’t agree on a deal. While some teams will have their franchised star play out the one-year deal, that isn’t how Kansas City handles business. At the end of the day, the Chiefs aren’t going to lie to themselves about their ability to retain a player who isn’t a core part of their vision. If it’s clear that a long-term deal isn’t going to happen, they’re going to cash out and get the best return possible.
Fortunately for the Chiefs, plenty of teams should be interested in a L’Jarius Sneed trade. As mentioned before, good cornerbacks are hard to come by, and there aren’t many better than Sneed. Even if it means giving up a pick and a big contract, somebody is going to be willing to pay that price. In no particular order, these five teams seem most likely to go after the two-time Super Bowl champion.
Best Team Fits
Philadelphia Eagles
L’Jarius Sneed has already teased signing with the Philadelphia Eagles, so they might as well trade for him. Philadelphia crashed and burned down the stretch last year, ruining a promising start to the season and ultimately firing both of their coordinators. The talent is still here, so if this team wants to make the most of their championship window, they need to add some star power with a big-name addition like Sneed.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are going to have a fascinating offseason. With several key players hitting free agency, the Ravens star-studded pass rush might be a little barren in 2024. Rather than trying to replace two or three starters, Baltimore could pivot and focus on building an elite secondary with a L’Jarius Sneed trade. Better coverage means quarterbacks have to hold on to the ball longer, which gives pass rushers more time to get the quarterback.
Los Angeles Chargers
Would the Chiefs ever trade L’Jarius Sneed to a division rival? It admittedly isn’t very likely, but the fit would be perfect. The Chargers desperately need another cornerback, as the defense was one of the worst in the league. With Sneed and an improved scheme, Los Angeles should be able to get back into the playoff picture in 2024.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots love cornerbacks, and they have a great one in second-year pro Christian Gonzalez. Now, they just need to find someone to pair with him. L’Jarius Sneed is a perfect trade target, as his ability to move around the defense makes him an ideal fit for Jerod Mayo’s scheme. The Patriots have the cap space to make this happen, and they can easily get more picks if they trade out of the third-overall selection.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears have an opportunity to turn things around in a major way. With a new quarterback (presumably) coming in and an absurd amount of cap space, this team has a chance to make a playoff run in 2024. Acquiring L’Jarius Sneed via trade is a great way to rebuild the roster and add some much-needed reinforcements to a defense that couldn’t cover anything last year.
Main Photo: Denny Medley – USA Today Sports
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