On Tuesday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Kansas City Chiefs are ‘prepared’ to place the franchise tag on cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport echoed these reports on Wednesday but stated that the team hasn’t officially tagged Sneed, but is expected to before the March 5 deadline. The 27-year-old cornerback has been given permission to seek a trade.
With a Chris Jones’ extension on the horizon, Sneed’s days in Kansas City may be numbered, as the cornerback could warrant a contract north of $20 million annually.
The former fourth-round selection was a marquee contributor to a Chiefs’ team that accomplished back-to-back championships, forming one of the best secondary units in the NFL in 2023.
While Sneed’s status remains up in the air, here are a few teams that could acquire Kansas City’s star defensive back.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles arguably had the worst secondary in the league this past season, and Sneed would fix those issues on the back end. Philadelphia’s late-season collapse fell on the shoulders of Philadelphia’s pass defense. The defense finished 31st in passing yards allowed, 26th in total yards allowed and 30th in points allowed, while making a midseason change at defensive coordinator.
In 2023, Sneed proved to be a lockdown corner, developing a reputation for sticky coverage and stifling opposing go-to wideouts.
Cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry are aging commodities who each saw their play drastically drop off last season. Philadelphia’s secondary cannot be anchored by two players who are over the age of 30.
The Eagles do not possess many weaknesses, but cornerback is a void that must be filled if Philadelphia wants to compete in the NFC.
Look for the Eagles to be majorly aggressive in addressing the cornerback position this offseason. Acquiring Sneed and drafting another secondary player early in the draft could do wonders for this defense, which is led by an elite pass rush.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are clearly a Super Bowl contender, and with a defense that could uphold against the pass, they may have found themselves vying for the Lombardi Trophy this past season.
Detroit had firm control in the NFC title game against the San Francisco 49ers, possessing a 24-7 lead before allowing 27 straight points in a second-half blunder.
The Lions’ secondary was Detroit’s primary culprit for blowing such a substantial lead. Detroit’s pass rush was a stout unit in 2023, but the pass defense ranked 27th in passing yards allowed and 29th in net yards per pass attempt.
Tackling was also an issue within the secondary for the Lions, and general manager Brad Holmes emphasized the importance of that aspect when evaluating players in free agency and the draft.
“I know the money-maker is ball production, and that’s first and foremost, but you’ve got to tackle too,” Holmes elaborated. “The more and more you see, when your corners are tackling, that can really define who you are on defense.”
Sneed had 60 solo tackles and only missed six tackles in 2023, and his physicality and instincts are things the Lions value from a defensive standpoint. With Chauncey Gardner-Johnson Jr. and Emmanuel Moseley entering free agency, the Lions must be swift in addressing the secondary.
Detroit should have no problem affording the 27-year-old from a financial perspective with almost $57 million in cap space.
Houston Texans
Heading into 2023, the Texans were viewed as a rebuilding team with a rookie quarterback (C.J. Stroud) and first-year head coach (DeMeco Ryans) leading the way. However, Stroud led Houston to the postseason, winning the AFC South division title and earning Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Because the Texans have seemingly found their franchise quarterback and are playoff contenders for the foreseeable future, the front office needs to take advantage of their quarterback playing on a rookie deal.
With over $70 million in cap space, Houston is well-positioned to address specific needs and fulfill the potential of this young roster.
Pass defense was the team’s biggest liability in 2023, and in addition, cornerbacks Steven Nelson and Tavierre Thomas are set to hit free agency.
Pairing Sneed with third-year cornerback Derek Stingley would form a partnership similar to the one in Kansas City with Trent McDuffie.
Since the Texans are a top contender in the AFC, they may have to pay a premium to the Chiefs for Sneed’s services.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams possess an exceptional mixture of youth and experience, and Sneed would be another piece to the puzzle.
Unlike the past few seasons, Los Angeles has plenty of cap space to navigate with. This offseason, the Rams have close to $40 million to spend, and with Stafford on the back nine of his career, now is the time to be aggressive and use their resources sufficiently.
If the Rams want to take advantage of the current regime, the team needs to improve a defense that finished 20th in yards allowed through the air.
Sneed would help refurbish a defense that desperately needs production in the pass defense, and a second-round pick is something general manager Les Snead would be more than happy to part with for the 27-year-old cornerback.
