L'Jarius Sneed says Titans are providing something the Chiefs never could

The Kansas City Chiefs are likely kicking themselves for not signing a long-term deal with cornerback L'Jarius Sneed last offseason. In the final year of his rookie contract, Sneed blossomed into one of the league's premier defensive backs in the final year of his rookie contract.

Kansas City used the nonexclusive franchise tag designation on Sneed before free agency. The franchise tag locked him into a one-year, $19.8 million deal, but they were unable to work out a long-term deal after signing defensive tackle Chris Jones to a five-year, $158.7 million contract extension. With no viable long-term options to retain Sneed, general manager Brett Veach relunctantly traded the 27-year-old cornerback to the Tennessee Titans for a third-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.

L'Jarius Sneed takes a subtle shot at Chiefs wide receivers

Sneed is expected to bolster a Tennesee defense that is currently undergoing renovations, but the star cornerback is expecting the Titans to help him improve more than the Chiefs ever could. With the Titans, Sneed has the opportunity to practice against star wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley. He believes that iron will sharpen iron.

"To get out there and work with them elite wide receivers, I never had two elite guys like them, going up against them every day," Sneed said this week on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "I had great players, but them two guys, household names, they stick out. I can't wait to get to work with those guys. I know they're gonna make me better in practice, and I can't wait to pick both of their brains on how to get better. What they see. What my weakness is from their eyes and not from other guys I've been playing with for four years. I want new guys looking from the outside in."

Kansas City managed to do alright after trading Tyreek Hill after the 2021 season. The Chiefs became the first team to become back-to-back Super Bowl champions since the 2003 and 2004 New England Patriots. Much like the Patriots dynasty, the Chiefs found success with a makeshift receiving corps.

The practice competition may be stiffer in Tennessee, but Sneed will need it. After winning two Super Bowls in Kansas City, the road back to the postseason will be a lot tougher with the Titans.

Titans general manager Ron Carthon and new head coach Brian Callahan are looking to improve a struggling Tennessee team that finished 27th in points scored and 16th in points allowed in 2023. It was their second consecutive losing season.

Sneed, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, converted from a safety to a nickel corner before having the best year of his career as a perimeter cornerback in 2023. Sneed didn't surrender a single touchdown as the nearest defender in coverage on 90 targets in 2023, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

The Titans rewarded Sneed's remarkable season in Kansas City with a four-year, $76 million contract.