Why nearly-complete Chiefs-Titans trade for L'Jarius Sneed has little hope of revival

L'Jarius Sneed has been the subject of trade rumors all offseason ever since the Kansas City Chiefs decided to place the franchise tag on the 27-year-old. The tag keeps Sneed under team control for another year, but he, like most other players who receive the tag, has no interest in playing without a long-term deal in place.

With Sneed wanting a massive extension and the Chiefs being reluctant to give that to him, the team has shopped the corner around. It felt like a deal to the Colts was inevitable at a certain point in time, but that fell through. Another AFC South team, the Tennessee Titans, was also involved in the Sneed talks, but a trade that was once nearly complete is now most likely dead.

The Athletic's Nate Taylor ($) reported that a deal between the two sides for Sneed was nearly complete, but they're now practically dead for one particular reason.

Why it's highly unlikely Chiefs trade L'Jarius Sneed to the Titans

"The trade never happened, though. The Titans couldn’t sign off on it because of the final major hurdle: agreeing to a multiyear contract with Sneed, on whom the Chiefs placed the non-exclusive franchise tag earlier this month," Taylor reported.

Sneed isn't unhappy in Kansas City at all. Presumably, in a perfect world, Sneed gets the Chiefs to give him the long-term contract he seeks and he stays. The problem is, the Chiefs are unwilling to meet his demands.

Sneed isn't only unwilling to play on the tag in Kansas City, he would not want to do so in Tennessee or anywhere else either. The contract is what's most important for him right now, and the Titans were unable to come to terms with him.

When those talks died, the Titans went out and gave Calvin Ridley a $92 million contract. The Titans can still acquire and pay Sneed, but their appetite to do so will certainly be less after doing so.

Sneed is a player worth paying, plain and simple. He's proven to be an integral part of a defense that has won back-to-back Super Bowls. This past season was arguably his best as he set a career-high with 14 passes defended and did not allow a single touchdown in coverage.

The longer the offseason continues to roll on, the less likely it is that a potential Sneed suitor is willing to satisfy the Chiefs with a good enough package and Sneed with a good enough salary will presumably go down by the day.