3 Chiefs who definitely won't be back after Chris Jones mega-deal

1. Chiefs will need to trade L'Jarius Sneed with Chris Jones' contract on the books

As it was written. This was always the outcome, no? The Chiefs need to cut one star to keep another (much more important) star. L'Jarius Sneed is currently locked up via franchise tag, but rather than carrying him into the season shrouded in uncertainty about his future, we should expect the Chiefs to trade their top cornerback.

The market for Sneed will be robust. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer expects him to net a second-round pick; others believe a first-round pick is in the cards. That would offer Kansas City considerable flexibility on draft night, allowing them to address multiple areas of need high in the draft or to trade up for a more prominent position in the first round.

It's easy to overlook the draft for such a competitive team, but with the Chiefs' financial situation, there is incredible value in unearthing affordable contributors under long-term team control. We hear about it with QBs all the time — this idea of "resetting the clock" financially with a rookie. It applies to every position, though. If the Chiefs trade Sneed for a high second-round or late first-round pick, a smart bet is on that pick going toward his replacement at CB.

Sneed was excellent, per usual, during his third Super Bowl run with Kansas City. The fourth-year CB started 16 regular season games and registered two interceptions, 14 passes defended, and 78 combined tackles (five for a loss).

Kansas City will need to scramble to reinforce the DB room with Sneed out of the picture, but it's hard to see a path toward a suitable long-term extension with Jones occupying so much cap space. It's unfortunate, but such is the price of contention. It's hard to keep great teams together.