Winning the Super Bowl is the greatest accomplishment in the NFL. But just because the Kansas City Chiefs have won back-to-back NFL Championships, it doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of roster work to do, including dealing with L’Jarius Sneed’s contract.
Originally set to become an unrestricted free agent, the Chiefs instead placed the franchise tag on their two-time Super Bowl champ. This means Sneed will either play under the $19.8 million tag for cornerbacks or sign a long-term extension. Yet, it’s possible he ends up on a new team too.
The Chiefs also have to reach a resolution with Chris Jones, who’s arguably the best free agent available this offseason. If they have to pick one or the other, the choice is obvious. They’re picking the two-time All-Pro defensive tackle. And it’s not like the Chiefs, who have just $10 million in cap space, have a lot of room in their budget to pay Sneed a salary near $20 million too.
This means Sneed could be traded elsewhere this offseason, and with as many as seven teams already reaching out, there has already been plenty of interest in the 27-year-old cornerback.
But what will be the trade price to land Sneed? One NFL insider recently chimed in.
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Cost to trade for L’Jarius Sneed may be a second-round pick
While he’s never been named to the All-Pro or Pro Bowl team, L’Jarius Sneed has proven himself as a reliable cornerback who’s recorded multiple interceptions every year of his four-year NFL career. After ranking 30th among cornerbacks per Pro Football Focus, Sneed has earned a big payday in free agency, yet as mentioned, the Chiefs may not be willing to pay it.
However, that doesn’t mean others won’t have the means to pay Sneed what he’s worth. Yet, in addition to paying Sneed a fair wage, if another team wants to add Sneed, they’ll have to trade for him.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer suggests Sneed could be traded for a second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
“For those reasons, I think Sneed is probably headed elsewhere. My guess would be that it’ll be for a second-round pick, with the star corner getting somewhere north of $20 million per year. And, lucky for him, there are a few corner-needy contenders out there.”
Albert Breer on L’Jarius Sneed’s trade price
In what’s viewed as a need 2024 draft class, the Chiefs may be more than happy to land a young prospect who’s on a much more affordable contract than Sneed is. Meanwhile, the same is true for teams in desperate need of improving their secondary, which is where Sneed could be a great addition.
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