A Chiefs-Browns trade to replace L’Jarius Sneed as Cleveland pays for Watson

When the Kansas City Chiefs traded away L'Jarius Sneed, they did so because they were confident the secondary could fill his shoes. Trent McDuffie is a former first-round pick and will likely step in for Sneed as CB1, following the opposing team's best receiver across the formation. Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson will take on larger roles as well.

However, what if the Chiefs found a somewhat affordable option to replace Sneed, who signed a four-year, $76 million contract with the Titans shortly after Kansas City received a third-round pick for him?

If a Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback like Sneed can only retrieve a third-round pick in a contract year, the same can likely be said for Greg Newsome of the Cleveland Browns. In early March, Jason La Canfora noted that the Browns are shopping some of their three top-flight corners, with Newsome being the most likely dealt due to his contract.

“Multiple GMs said the Cleveland Browns made it clear they are open to dealing one of their top cornerbacks as they try to balance salaries after years of heavy spending," La Canfora wrote.

Denzel Ward, Martin Emerson and Newsome make up one of the best secondaries in the NFL. However, Newsome is entering the fourth year of his rookie contract, and the Browns have yet to make a decision on his fifth-year option. As talented as he is, Cleveland cannot afford a long-term extension due to other priorities on the roster, such as paying Deshaun Watson's salary.

What a Chiefs-Browns trade for Greg Newsome II would look like

So, with that in mind, could the Chiefs afford to trade for Newsome? The 23-year-old corner is just entering his prime, and Kansas City can use some of the draft capital acquired in the Sneed trade to land the Northwestern product.

In acquiring Newsome, the Chiefs would give up more than they received for Sneed. However, they can flip the Titans pick as well as a fourth rounder in the 2025 class to land one of the best young cornerbacks in the AFC.

The fact that Newsome needs a new contract makes this trade slightly less expensive than it would be, but two mid-round picks is nothing to sneeze at for the Browns, who are trading from a position of strength.