As NFL free agency approaches, many have wondered how the Kansas City Chiefs will handle L’Jarius Sneed’s contract situation.
But while we’ve still yet to see how it will play out, we now know the Chiefs’ plan, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reporting that Kansas City will place its franchise tag on the star cornerback.
That doesn’t necessarily mean, however, that Sneed will be back with the defending Super Bowl champs next season. Rather, Fowler reports that the Chiefs will attempt to sign the 27-year-old to a long-term contract, but will also be open to trading him to another team if they are unable to reach one.
#Chiefs have informed L’Jarius Sneed they are prepared to use the franchise tag and are open to consummate a trade off it if no long-term deal is reached, per source.
Sneed is agreeable to the scenario, giving him chance to talk with other teams while K.C. remains in play pic.twitter.com/JayTzcAW0Y
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 27, 2024
According to Pro Football Talk, the franchise tag tender for a cornerback this offseason is priced at $19.802 million. It appears unlikely that Sneed will be playing under such a one-year contract, however, as he will presumably receive a long-term deal from either Kansas City or a team that acquires in via trade.
The Chiefs’ handling of Sneed’s impending free agency is notable, as he is one of Kansas City’s top defensive players. Conversely, the Chiefs are currently dealing with a salary cap crunch, with the team currently possessing just under $17 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com.
Originally selected out of Louisiana Tech in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Sneed has proven to be one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks. Appearing in 16 regular-season games in 2023, the 27-year-old totaled 78 tackles, 14 pass defenses and two interceptions.
