Could cornerback L’Jarius Sneed land with the Indianapolis Colts? The team needs to upgrade their young defensive secondary, and adding a veteran like him would be a wise move by the franchise.
Sneed is a free agent this offseason. The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to use their franchise tag on him. Yet, he has also been allowed to seek a trade, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. A tag-and-trade deal could happen if Sneed and the Chiefs fail to come to a long-term agreement.
Sneed is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. With that said, several teams should be interested in acquiring him. Will the Colts be the team that picks him up?
The Colts Need To Trade For L’Jarius Sneed
His NFL Career So Far
Kansas City selected Sneed in the fourth round (138th overall pick) of the 2020 NFL Draft. The Louisiana Tech product started six of his nine games as a rookie. He posted three interceptions, seven passes defended, two sacks, and 41 tackles.
2022 was perhaps the best year of Sneed’s career. Starting all 17 games, he recorded three interceptions, 3.5 sacks, 11 passes defended, three forced fumbles, and 108 tackles. Sneed also had two passes defended and 17 tackles during the playoffs. That year, he teamed with stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce to lead the Chiefs to a Super Bowl victory.
In 2023, Sneed recorded two interceptions, 14 passes defended, one fumble recovery, and 78 tackles. He posted three pass breakups, 17 tackles, and a forced fumble during the postseason. The Chiefs went on to win another Super Bowl. They became the first team to go back-to-back since the 2004 New England Patriots.
Why the Colts Should Acquire L’Jarius Sneed
The Colts were middle of the pack in passing yards allowed this past season. While the team doesn’t necessarily have the league’s worst secondary, they should still look to address the area this offseason.
Rookies Julius Brents and Jaylon Jones played well for Indianapolis in 2023. Plus Dallis Flowers, who’s coming off an injury-plagued campaign, will return in 2024. Yet, the team must add another cornerback.
Kenny Moore II, the Colts’ best at the position, is a pending free agent and could sign with another team. If he leaves, the team will need a long-term solution to start on the other side of Brents.
Sneed would be the perfect pickup. The 6-foot-1, 192-pounder is a do-it-all defender. He can cover perimeter receivers and is one of the league’s best blitzing cornerbacks.
This past season, Sneed did a great job locking down elite wide receivers. Tyreek Hill caught eight passes for just 62 yards in Week 9. Then he had five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown during the AFC Wild-Card Round. Sneed also helped shut down Justin Jefferson (3 for 28 yards) A.J. Brown (1-8) and then Brandon Aiyuk (3-49) in the Super Bowl.
Indianapolis would probably have to give up a pick or two to trade for Sneed. If you follow the Colts, you know general manager Chris Ballard isn’t known for making big moves. However, trading for a solid veteran like Sneed is a deal he should consider.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
