The Tennessee Titans are finalizing a deal to acquire cornerback L’Jarius Sneed from the Kansas City Chiefs for a pair of draft picks, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Friday night.
Quick Read
- The Tennessee Titans are nearing a deal to get cornerback L’Jarius Sneed from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for two draft picks.
- The deal is pending due to the need for Sneed to pass a physical and agree to a new contract, following the Chiefs’ application of a $19.8 million non-exclusive franchise tag on him.
- Kansas City and Sneed couldn’t reach a long-term agreement, prompting the trade. Tennessee would give up its 2025 third-round pick and swap seventh-round picks with the Chiefs in the upcoming draft.
- At 27, Sneed has become a leading cornerback in the NFL since his 2020 fourth-round draft by Kansas City, contributing to the team’s consecutive Super Bowl victories.
- Sneed is known for his ability to shadow top receivers effectively, achieving a fifth-best cornerback ranking by Pro Football Focus for his coverage performance.
- Throughout the last season, Sneed allowed no touchdown passes until the playoffs and was particularly effective against prominent receivers like Davante Adams.
- Sneed’s record includes two interceptions and 14 passes defensed last season, totaling 10 interceptions and 40 passes defensed over his four-year career.
- To strengthen their defense, the Titans also signed cornerback Chidobe Awuzie from Cincinnati to a three-year, $36 million deal, with $23 million guaranteed.
- The Titans’ new defensive coordinator, Dennard Wilson, is looking to bolster the team’s pass defense, which was ranked 18th last year, and improve their interception rate, which was the lowest in the league in 2023.
- The AFC South’s competitive landscape, featuring young and skilled quarterbacks like C.J. Stroud, Trevor Lawrence, and Anthony Richardson, underscores the need for a strong pass defense for the Titans.
The Associated Press has the story:
Titans finalizing deal with Chiefs to acquire cornerback L’Jarius Sneed
Newslooks- (AP)
The Tennessee Titans are finalizing a deal to acquire cornerback L’Jarius Sneed from the Kansas City Chiefs for a pair of draft picks, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Friday night.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal still requires Sneed to pass a physical and a new contract for the cornerback who the Chiefs placed the $19.8 million non-exclusive franchise tag on earlier this month.
Kansas City was unable to come to terms on a long-term deal, leading to this trade. Under terms of the deal, Tennessee would send its third-round pick in the 2025 draft and also flip seventh-round selections with the Chiefs in the draft next month.
The 27-year-old Sneed has developed into one of the top cornerbacks in the league since being drafted in the fourth round in 2020. He was a key part of a defense that helped Kansas City win back-to-back Super Bowl titles.
Sneed often followed top receivers all over the field and excelled at holding them in check. He allowed a passer of just 55.9 on throws when he was in coverage in the regular season, according to Pro Football Focus, ranking fifth best among cornerbacks.
He didn’t allow a single TD pass until the playoffs against Buffalo and only Davante Adams of the Raiders had more than two catches in a game when Sneed was in coverage.
Sneed had two interceptions and 14 passes defensed in 16 games last season, giving him 10 interceptions and 40 passes defensed in his four-year career.
The Titans signed Cincinnati cornerback Chidobe Awuzie to a three-year deal for $36 million with $23 million guaranteed to help kick off free agency.
New defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson needs help with Caleb Farley, the team’s 22nd overall pick in 2021 who has been limited to just 12 games in his career because of injuries. The Titans ranked 18th in pass defense, giving up 227.4 yards per game. But they were last in interception rate with only six all of 2023.
Tennessee competes in an AFC South filled with young, talented quarterbacks from C.J. Stroud in Houston, Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville and Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis.
