Trade rumors surrounding Kansas City Chiefs star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed continue to take turn after turn. It was just recently that a report indicated the franchise-tagged player was close to being traded to the Indianapolis Colts.
Another report indicated that Sneed was demanding to become the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. That apparently became a detriment in talks between the two-time defending Super Bowl champions and other teams.
What we do know is that Sneed, 27, is set to play under the $19.8 million franchise tag next season. He was also granted permission to seek out trade partners after Kansas City placed said tag on the former fourth-round pick.
There is now more concrete information on Sneed’s status with the 2024 NFL Draft quickly approaching.
“The framework for a trade was in place last week between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tennessee Titans with cornerback L’Jarius Sneed as the centerpiece,” Nate Taylor of The Athletic reported on Friday.
According to Taylor, the trade never came to fruition. The reason? Tennessee could not come to an agreement on a contract extension with Sneed.
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L’Jarius Sneed will likely have to change tone if he wants to be traded
That’s the biggest takeaway from this report. Sure, Sneed has played well during his four-year run in Kansas City. Last season alone, he yielded a mere 51.0% completion an 56.2 QB rating when targeted. He played a vital role in the team’s second consecutive Super Bowl run.
At issue here is market dynamics.
“Sneed trade discussions have cooled this week, and several potential bidders have made other moves to strengthen their roster,” Taylor noted.
With trade talks cooling, it seems that there is a better chance now than a month ago that Sneed will ultimately play under the tag in Kansas City next season. Of course, he could change his contract demands.
Time is running out on this front. The Chiefs need to know what’s happening at cornerback ahead of the NFL Draft starting in roughly five weeks. They’ll also want a 2024 draft pick back in return.
Stay tuned!