Star Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed might have played his final game with the two-time defending Super Bowl champions.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Chiefs have informed Sneed that they plan on using the dreaded franchise tag on him. Per the report, they are open to “consummate” a trade if no long-term deal is reached. Fowler also reported that Sneed is agreeable to this scenario. He’ll now be able to talk to other teams about a potential trade.
There is a whole heck of a lot to look at here. First off, this will keep Sneed off the NFL free agent market once the new league year opens in March. Secondly, it also means that star Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones will hit the open market if he’s unable to come to terms on a long-term deal before free agency opens.
Sneed, 27, has morphed into one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL since the Chiefs made him a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Louisiana Tech.
- L’Jarius Sneed stats (2023): 78 tackles, 14 passes defended, 2 INT, 51% completion, 56.2 QB rating allowed
Any team making a move for Sneed would not only have to hand him a lucrative long-term contract, but it would also need to compensate the Chiefs in a trade. Below, we look at four ideal scenarios.
Related: Updated NFL trade rumors
L’Jarius Sneed landing spots in a potential trade
- Houston Texans: DeMeco Ryans and Co. would make perfect sense in a potential trade for Sneed. Cornerback Steven Nelson is currently slated to hit free agency. Finding someone to team up with youngster Derek Stingley Jr. should be in the cards for the up-and-coming team. This scenario would include Houston sending its second-round pick in 2024 and another higher-round selection in 2025 to Kansas City. The Texans have a projected $73.9 million in cap room.
- Detroit Lions: Cornerback remains an issue for the Lions. They signed veterans Emmanuel Moseley and Cameron Sutton in free agency last spring. Neither seems to fit into Detroit’s long-term plans. Fresh off a surprise appearance in the NFC Championship Game, adding someone of Sneed’s ilk to mix should be in the cards here. Offering up their own second-round pick and another Day 2 selection in 2025 to Kansas City could potentially get this done for the Lions.
- Minnesota Vikings: These Vikes ranked in the bottom 10 of the NFL stopping the pass a season ago. Opposing quarterbacks also threw 30 touchdowns against the Vikings in 2023. While finances could be an issue here with Minnesota a projected $38.54 million under the said figure, the team could make enough moves to fit Sneed in. It would make sense from both a short-term and long-term standpoint.
Related: Minnesota Vikings will not entertain Justin Jefferson trade
- San Francisco 49ers: Strange bedfellows. But it makes sense for both teams. It was ahead of the 2022 season that San Francisco signed Charvarius Ward away from the Chiefs when they didn’t want to pay him a long-term deal. The 49ers certainly have a need behind Ward in the defensive secondary. They also have the picks to get this done and an ability to move finances around under the salary cap. Whether two teams who played in the Super Bowl just a few short weeks ago come together remains to be seen. But it is an interesting scenario.