Chiefs keep band together with L’Jarius Sneed savings, give breakout player nice payday

The Kansas City Chiefs have signed defensive end Mike Danna to a three-year, $24 million contract, including $13 million in guaranteed money, per NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

Since being selected by the Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Danna has carved out a meaningful role for himself and seen his usage increase yearly, logging a career-high 74 percent of defensive snaps in 2023, making this a vital albeit lowkey move for Kansas City and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Chiefs use L’Jarius Sneed savings to extend DE Mike Danna

After trading shutdown cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, the Chiefs are putting the excess cap space they created by doing so to good use, keeping as much of the band together as possible as they try to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles.

Danna has seen his sack totals increase over the past four seasons, piling up 17 total. He became a full-time player for the Chiefs in 2023, starting 16 games while dumping the passer a career-high 6.5 times and deflecting three passes.

While it is unfortunate that Kansas City had to part ways with Sneed, who was an integral part of their secondary since entering the league in 2020, at least they turned him into draft capital and preserved the financial flexibility to re-sign other crucial players like Danna, veteran linebacker Drue Tranquill, and All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones while also adding speedy wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown via free agency this offseason by doing so.

The Chiefs are learning how difficult it can be to retain everybody and that building a championship-contending roster can get expensive. But they have done a solid job of weathering the storm, and as long as they have quarterback Patrick Mahomes under center, they will be a tough out.