4 Kansas City Chiefs playing their way off the roster entering AFC Championship Game

3. L'Jarius Sneed could be too expensive for the Chiefs this offseason

L'Jarius Sneed is playing his way off the roster just as he has been all season long, but through no fault of his own. Sneed is one of the best cover cornerbacks in the AFC, and there's a good chance he heads elsewhere this offseason. The Chiefs drafted Trent McDuffie, who has come into his own this season, in part because of that possibility.

McDuffie is still on his rookie deal, while Sneed is projected to earn an average salary of over $16 million this offseason, and that'll likely come in the form of a multiyear deal. The number of wanna-be contenders who need secondary depth is a long list. Pro Football Focus considers Sneed one of the best outside cornerbacks in this year's free-agent class for a reason:

“Sneed was a fixture out wide in 2023 after lining up primarily in the slot over his first three seasons, and he held up quite well in several tough matchups,” PFF wrote. “Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo asks a lot of his cornerbacks, and Sneed is sticky in coverage, getting into receivers’ hip pockets and becoming very hard to shake with lateral movement or in the air at the catch point."

A suitor like the Pittsburgh Steelers makes a lot of sense if they can afford him. The Steelers are just a few pieces away from competing among the top echelon in the AFC. One of those pieces is cornerback, while another is quarterback. Sneed playing alongside Joey Porter, Jr. and Minkah Fitzpatrick would be fun to watch.