Four-year veteran cornerback L’Jarius Sneed has received the franchise tag. Sneed, a two-time Super Bowl champion and former fourth-round pick, spent the entirety of his professional career with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Chiefs Use Franchise Tag on L’Jarius Sneed
The 2023 marked yet another fantastic campaign for L’Jarius Sneed. Starting in all 16 games in which he appeared, the cornerback finished the season with two interceptions, 14 passes defended, 79 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, three quarterback hits, and a 72.5 PFF grade. He and Trent McDuffie formed one of the best cornerback duos in the league, holding an NFL-record 20 opponents to 25 points or fewer en route to Kansas City’s second Super Bowl in as many seasons.
L’Jarius Sneed first entered the league as a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Selected by the Kansas City Chiefs, the Louisiana Tech product appeared in nine games while making six starts. While on the field, the rookie recorded three interceptions, seven passes defended, two sacks, and 41 tackles as the team made it all the way to the Super Bowl before falling to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Sneed built on that promising rookie campaign to earn a full-time starting job in 2021. Appearing in 15 games, the second-year pro finished the season with two interceptions, one forced fumble, one sack, and 76 tackles. Kansas City once again made a deep playoff run but ultimately fell to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game.
L’Jarius Sneed finally won his first Super Bowl during the third year of his rookie contract. Starting in all 17 games, the former fourth-round pick recorded three interceptions, 11 passes defended, three forced fumbles, 3.5 sacks, and 108 tackles as one of the key pieces of the defense.
Since signing his rookie contract, L’Jarius Sneed has appeared in 57 games while making 54 starts. While on the field, the cornerback has recorded 10 interceptions, 40 passes defended, and 303 tackles.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
