4 L'Jarius Sneed replacements the Chiefs can have without breaking the bank

1. Elevate Trent McDuffie to a L'Jarius Sneed-type role

What cheaper option is there for the Chiefs than not aggressively looking to replace L'Jarius Sneed and simply just promoting from within, so to speak? Trent McDuffie affords Kansas City that opportunity, but so too does some of the depth on the roster.

One has to wonder if Brett Veach had the potential departure of Sneed this offseason in mind when he used the Chiefs' first-round pick in 2022 to take McDuffie out of Washington. Even if that wasn't the case, McDuffie has more than come into his own over the last two seasons in the league to showcase that he has the talent and ability to fill the versatile role that Sneed occupied for Spagnuolo's defense.

McDuffie actually graded out better overall for the 2023 season than Sneed by PFF's metrics ($). The former first-rounder clocked in as the fourth-best cornerback in overall grade last year, including registering the ninth-best coverage grade at the position last season as well. Just as impressive as that is that, similar to Sneed, he accomplished that while moving all over the defense.

Spags utilized McDuffie 608 snaps in the slot last season but also more than 350 snaps on the outside as well -- not to mention sporadic usage as a box safety in Big Nickel-type looks as well. He became a movable piece capable of performing at a high level all over the secondary.

Simply moving McDuffie into the Sneed role would be a seamless transition for the Chiefs. Filling out the depth could be a point of contention as Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams may need larger roles as well while some veteran depth could also be brought into the fold as well. All told, though, this could be the most cost-effective and maybe also the most logical option for Kansas City if they are forced to move forward without Sneed.