Chiefs still have perfect L’Jarius Sneed replacement waiting if they want it

Cornerback Xavien Howard spent eight seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He picked off a total of 29 passes in 100 regular-season contests and had thefts in both the 2016 and ’22 playoffs. He was a four-time Pro Bowler, earned All-Pro honors in 2020 and twice led the NFL in interceptions.

He was also released this offseason (a post-June 1 designation) by the team that used a second-round draft choice on him in 2016.

Upon the realization that he would become a free agent (which saved the Dolphins' cap room in 2024 and more), Howard had this to say back in late March.

“My goal is always to try to win a Super Bowl. Don’t let the money get in the way of winning a Super Bowl. Some people get paid, and some people win a Super Bowl. Some people do both. You do both, you’re different. I want to be different. I want to win a Super Bowl now. I already got paid, so now (a Super Bowl) is what I'm looking forward to.”

The eight-year pro remains on the open market, and any number of teams could use his services. That includes a franchise that is ruling the NFL roost these days.

Xavien Howard to the Chiefs would make plenty of sense

Andy Reid’s team has reached the Super Bowl four times in the past five seasons. They’ve won three titles, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been the game MVP in each of those victories. However, the 2023 edition of the Chiefs owes plenty to Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

Kansas City gave up the second-most total yards and second-fewest points in the league this past season. Including the team’s four-game postseason run, the Chiefs gave up only 36 offensive touchdowns in 21 contests. The Super Bowl LVII championship team in ’22 allowed a whopping 51 offensive TDs in 20 overall outings.

A big part of this defense in recent years was cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. The Chiefs gave him the “franchise” tag this offseason, then swung a deal with the Titans. The clubs swapped seventh-round picks in April, and Kansas City also received a third-round pick in 2025.

Howard would not only boost the Chiefs’ secondary he could prove to be a mentor to two-year cornerback Trent McDuffie. The 2022 first-round pick, who has yet to intercept a pass, earned All-Pro honors this past season, but he could certainly pick up a few pointers from a veteran who knows how to get his hands on the football.