Report: Chief CB L'Jarius Sneed should be traded to Titans

The Kansas City Chiefs, eyeing the historic task of winning a third straight Super Bowl, came into the offseason looking to keep two of their defensive stars.

Defensive end Chris Jones and cornerback Larios Snead were scheduled to be free agents. Jones received a huge contract extension to stay with the Chiefs. Snead's situation was more difficult, as it is for many players who receive the franchise tag. He ended up getting permission to seek a trade in late February.

Now, Sneed is set to be traded to the Tennessee Titans, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Friday night. In return, the Chiefs are expected to receive a third-round pick in next year's draft and trade seventh-round picks to the Giants in the 2024 draft. The two sides are officially drafting a new contract, which would make Snead one of the highest-paid players in NFL history, according to For an ESPN report.

Larios Snead's influence on the Chiefs

Sneed was a fourth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech, and immediately became a big part of a Chiefs defense that was coming off a Super Bowl win.

As a rookie, Snead started six regular season games and all three, including the Super Bowl loss. He remained a starter his next three seasons and was a big part of two Super Bowl championship teams.

Sneed's versatility has been an asset to creative defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Sneed began his career as a cornerback but switched to the outside linebacker. He was also a skilled attacker off the rim, which Spagnuolo exploited often. Sneed was a good coverage corner, wasn't afraid to make tackles (he had 108 tackles in 2022) and could do practically whatever Spagnuolo needed.

Snead also made one of the biggest plays of the Chiefs' dynasty. In the fourth quarter of last season's AFC Championship game, he scooped a ball past Baltimore Ravens receiver Zay Flowers just before Flowers crossed the goal line. The Chiefs recovered and went on to win.

Sneed became one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL very quickly and was a perfect fit in the Chiefs' scheme. He also wanted a long-term deal. When he was awarded the franchise tag this offseason, he was also given permission to seek a trade. Several teams were reportedly interested, which was not surprising given Snead's impressive play.

Things have been going well for the Chiefs in 2024, but a Sneed trade has become a major challenge. So the Giants took full advantage and beefed up their defense. They have already signed cornerback Chidobe Awuzie in free agency, so Sneed will be a welcome addition that should help the Giants compete in the AFC South this fall.