NFL Rumors: Titans acquire L’Jarius Sneed from the Chiefs; CB to Sign $76M Contract
L’Jarius Sneed is leaving Kansas City behind.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the seasoned cornerback is being sent to the Tennessee Titans in return for a 2025 third-round pick and a 2024 seventh-round pick.
Following the trade, Sneed will ink a four-year, $76 million deal with the Titans, per NFL Insider Jordan Schultz.
Prior to the agreement, Schefter said that Sneed would become “one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in NFL history.”
According to Spotrac, the $19 million average yearly compensation would place cornerbacks behind Denzel Ward of the Cleveland Browns and Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers in third place.
The announcement follows Kansas City’s February 27 franchise tag application of $19.8 million for Sneed. As per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Chiefs have told Sneed that “they are prepared to use the franchise tag and are open to consummate a trade-off it if no long-term deal is reached.”
Sneed, a Louisiana Tech product, was chosen by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he had an instant impact, recording three interceptions, seven passes defensed, two sacks, and 41 tackles in nine games.
In 17 games, Sneed finished 2022 with three interceptions, 3.5 sacks, 11 passes defended, three forced fumbles, and 108 tackles—possibly the best season of his career.
He recorded two passes defended and 17 tackles in three postseason games that year, which helped the Chiefs win the Super Bowl.
The 27-year-old is coming off a strong 2023 year in which he played in 16 games and finished with 78 tackles, two interceptions, 14 passes defended, and one fumble recovery.
He recorded 17 tackles, one forced fumble, three pass breakups, and helped the Chiefs win back-to-back Super Bowls, becoming them the first team to do it since the New England Patriots in the postseason.
After being teased by wide receiver Zay Flowers of the Baltimore Ravens in the third quarter of the AFC Championship Game, Sneed forced Flowers to fumble close to the goal line, making it one of the most memorable moments of his playoff career.
Entering the 2024 season, Tennessee had to address the cornerback position, and Sneed’s acquisition is just what the team needed.
With Sneed, the Titans will have a reliable cornerback who has outperformed his selection status in his early career. He will play in the secondary alongside Roger McCreary, Chidobe Awuzie, and Kristian Fulton.
Although it’s improbable that Tennessee will compete for a Super Bowl crown the following season, Sneed’s addition will at least help the team prepare for the future.
Trent McDuffie is the next player up for the Chiefs. In addition, Joshua Williams might get more time on the field in front of Jaylen Watson.
