Kansas City Chiefs' trade of L'Jarius Sneed guarantees return that the future wouldn't
It seems like the Kansas City Chiefs and their general manager, Brett Veach, always wait to make a huge move when it's late at night and everyone is done with work for the day. The last few times they have done something, it's been that way. This time, it was the Chiefs trading L'Jarius Sneed away, […]
It seems like the Kansas City Chiefs and their general manager, Brett Veach, always wait to make a huge move when it's late at night and everyone is done with work for the day. The last few times they have done something, it's been that way.
This time, it was the Chiefs trading L'Jarius Sneed away, something we have thought would happen for a while now; it was just about when. On Friday night, the Chiefs traded one of the best cornerbacks in the league to the Tennessee Titans, a team that has spent more than their share of money this offseason.
The details of the trade have come out, and it appears that Sneed will sign a four-year deal worth $76 million with $55 million guaranteed. The Chiefs are receiving a 2025 third-round pick and a 2024 seventh-round pick. While fans are upset about the trade, it makes sense when you think about it and put it all together.
The Chiefs trading Sneed guarantees they get the best possible pick rather than letting him go and getting a compensatory pick. Let me explain.
When you lose players in free agency to another team, and they play well there or are on a significant contract, you will receive a compensatory pick, ranging from the third round to the seventh round. Had the Chiefs let him walk next year, they would have received a compensatory pick, but they wouldn't have known which round. Who's to say it would have been a third-rounder?
This trade guarantees a third-rounder. Sure, the fans are upset that the trade wasn't a second-rounder or at least a third-rounder for this draft, but when you factor in that he was a player teams have to sign to a new contract, it takes some of that value away.
Now, the Chiefs will have roughly $20 million in cap space to play with. That cap space can be used to bring back guys like Mike Danna, who was a great edge rusher last year and plays a bigger position of need than Sneed did, and Donovan Smith, for the same reasons at left tackle. Sneed was amazing, and is a two-time Super Bowl champion for a reason. The Chiefs will miss him.
Kansas City Chiefs trade franchise-tagged CB L’Jarius Sneed to Tennessee Titans
The Kansas City Chiefs made their decision on CB L’Jarius Sneed.
