L’Jarius Sneed trade rumors: Front-runner emerges for Chiefs cornerback

Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed has been the subject of trade rumors ever since the franchise tag was placed on him. Sneed is scheduled to make $19 million this season should he play on the franchise tag, though his situation is playing out much like teammate Chris Jones's did in 2023.

However, the main difference between Sneed and Jones is that the former's value will dip significantly as he gets closer to the age of 30. Jones plays a position where he can still make a substantial impact as he ages. Jones is a rare player.

While the Pittsburgh Steelers appear to be out on Sneed having signed linebacker Patrick Queen to a lucrative deal, they did create more cap space on Tuesday night by trading wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Still, the once-favored Steelers have made way for another potential suitor -- the Tennessee Titans.

Why are the Titans interested in L'Jarius Sneed?

The Titans have been tied to some of the big-name cornerbacks in this year's draft class. Acquiring Sneed would not necessarily change that mindset, as having Sneed play alongside a rookie learning the ropes makes a lot of sense for a young team in the midst of a rebuild. The Titans have also shown interest in linebacker Jerome Baker in recent days as well.

Could the Chiefs consider keeping L'Jarius Sneed instead?

From the Chiefs perspective, Patrick Mahomes reworked his contract on Tuesday night in hopes of creating more cap space. Whether Mahomes did that with Veach in mind remains to be seen, as Matt Connor of Arrowhead Addict wrote:

"That sort of money will help the Chiefs create the space to make a considerable move, and perhaps that means keeping the band together for another run at a title. That said, the Chiefs are shopping Sneed for a reason and a great way to create leverage is to make the other party believe you might not want to part with the asset in question after all."

Sneed was always likely to go this offseason, especially when Jones signed a record extension. Veach has a tough job to do, and the wrong choice could ruin a dynasty.