The Kansas City Chiefs used the franchise tag to keep star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed in town but quickly granted him the right to search for a trade partner. After establishing himself as one of the better slot cornerbacks in the game through the first three years of his career, Sneed moved to the outside in 2024 and played at an equally high level. Paired with first-round pick Trent McDuffie, the Chiefs elite cornerback duo helped power the team to their second Super Bowl championship in as many years.
While the Chiefs would love to keep a player like Sneed on the payroll, it just isn’t practical. The NFL’s hard salary cap ensures that teams can’t keep all of their homegrown stars. With Kansas City signing Chris Jones to a massive deal while also adding offensive help, the team has no reasonable way to pay L’Jarius Sneed, so they want to maximize their value with a trade. According to Destin Adams of A to Z Sports, the Chiefs will send the star cornerback to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick and an undisclosed pick in 2025.
Sources tell myself & @AtoZSportsNFL that the #Chiefs and #Colts are ironing out the final details on a trade that will send star CB L'Jarius Sneed to Indianapolis.
I'm told the Colts are sending a 2024 3rd and an additional pick in 2025. pic.twitter.com/cJTMD2taTu
— Destin Adams (@TheDestinAdams) March 16, 2024
Kansas City Chiefs Ready to Trade L’Jarius Sneed to Indianapolis Colts (Report)
The Indianapolis Colts make perfect sense as a trade partner for L’Jarius Sneed. While they recently signed Kenny Moore to a massive deal, the former undrafted free agent makes his living out of the slot. The 2023 campaign proved that Sneed can play outside cornerback at a high level, and that’s exactly what the Colts need. Seeing as they share a division with two franchise quarterbacks in C.J. Stroud and Trevor Lawrence along with a promising youngster in Will Levis, they need to find players capable of slowing down high-powered passing attacks.
This return also seems to favor the Colts. When the Chiefs first used the franchise tag, most believed that the team was hoping they could get a second-round pick in a trade. That didn’t happen, but they might be able to get an equal value. This is pure speculation, but that 2025 pick will probably be either a fourth- or fifth-round pick based on playtime incentives. This creates the rough value of a second-round pick, but the Colts should be happy that they don’t have to give up a top-50 selection for a premier talent at a valuable position.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, will use that pick to go after their third Super Bowl in as many seasons. Even without L’Jarius Sneed on the roster, this team is one of the most talented units in the league. While they could certainly use another cornerback, Trent McDuffie is more than capable of being the top option in any secondary. Additionally, with Marquise Brown in town, Kansas City doesn’t have an immediate need for a wide receiver, so they can prioritize cornerback and left tackle in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
