Sources – Chiefs set to trade CB L’Jarius Sneed to Titans،
The Kansas City Chiefs are finalizing a deal to send star cornerback L'Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter Friday night.
The Chiefs are expected to receive a 2025 third-round pick, in addition to a 2024 seventh-round pick swap, for Sneed, who will re-sign with Tennessee, sources said.
Sneed and the Titans have the framework of a deal they have been working on for days, sources told Schefter. This will be made official after Sneed passes his physical and will make him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in NFL history.
The Chiefs placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Sneed earlier this month. This allowed him to talk to other teams, who were then able to complete a trade with the Chiefs.
The Titans have already signed veteran cornerback Chidobe Awuzie to a three-year, $36 million contract early in their free agency deal. Sneed and Awuzie will become the outside cornerbacks with Roger McCreary at nickel as the Titans face quarterbacks CJ Stroud, Trevor Lawrence and Anthony Richardson in the AFC South.
Sneed joins a list of key Titans acquisitions this offseason that includes linebacker Kenneth Murray. General manager Ran Carthon signed center Lloyd Cushenberry and guard Saahdiq Charles to bolster the offensive line. And the offense also received a boost when Carthon added wide receiver Calvin Ridley and running back Tony Pollard.
In 2023, Sneed had in many ways his best season since joining the Chiefs as a fourth-round pick in 2020. He covered the opponent's best receiver on at least 65% of snaps, seven times a league high during the regular season. season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
Only once did one of these receivers catch more than two passes. Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders had five catches for 73 yards on seven targets against Sneed in Week 12.
Sneed, 27, didn't allow a touchdown as the closest defender in coverage all season until the Chiefs' Divisional Round playoff victory over the Buffalo Bills.
In the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sneed lined up 21 times against Zay Flowers. Sneed allowed a 54-yard catch and made one of the most important plays of the game, punching the ball from Flowers just short of crossing the goal line. The Chiefs recovered the fumble in the end zone.
In 57 regular season games, Sneed has 10 interceptions and 40 passes defensed. He has one interception and seven passes defensed in 13 playoff games.
Once the trade is completed, Sneed's departure to Tennessee will free up $19.8 million against the Chiefs' salary cap.
Information from ESPN's Adam Teicher was used in this report.
