The Kansas Chiefs franchise tagged their star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed for the upcoming season but it’s not a certainty that he will return to the Chiefs this season. Kansas City did free up nearly $21 million in cap space with some contract gymnastics with Patrick Mahomes, so they have room to make moves. The tag was used to continue extension discussions and allows them to keep his rights so they can trade him if they cannot come to agreement on an extension.
Sneed, along with Chris Jones and Trent McDuffie, have been the standout players on this Chiefs defense the past two seasons. Sneed and McDuffie make up, arguably, one of the best cornerback duos in the league. As we typically see after a Super Bowl victory, the hangover period begins as the team begins to make up their 2024 roster and prime themselves for an attempt at an unprecedented three peat.
If the Chiefs are actually open to trading Sneed, the Indianapolis Colts should be on the phone with Kansas City to see what it will take to bring the corner to Indy. Sneed would bring some veteran leadership to the locker room and some playoff experience as he now has two Super Bowl rings on his resume.
The Colts are in desperate need of not only his leadership but his talent on the field. They were torched numerous times this past season from poor execution and miscommunication, which is part of the growing pains with young and inexperienced secondary. Sneed would be able to line up on the top receiver on the other side of the ball and give the Colts an ability to have a playmaker on that side of the ball.
Let’s take a look at a couple of hypothetical trades the Colts might look to pursue to obtain Sneed.
Hypothetical Colts trades for L’Jarius Sneed
Colts Receive: L’Jarius Sneed
Chiefs Receive: WR Alec Pierce, 2024 4th-Round Pick
If there was one weakness that the Chiefs had last season and will continue to have this offseason is the depth at wide receiver. Kansas City just released Marquez Valdes-Scantling, with Mecole Hardman’s and Kadarius Toney’s future in question as well. Hardman could return but he is a rotational inside receiver.
Alec Pierce has not turned heads with Indianapolis, but his forte is a burner that can beat you deep. With MVS leaving, Pierce would give Mahomes that threat and with the deep receiver class in April, it gives Pierce an opportunity for a fresh start and frees up some small cap space for Indianapolis to find his replacement in the draft. Losing a fourth-round pick isn’t ideal but Chris Ballard could easily move down in the draft to re-coup another pick to make up for it.
Colts Receive: L’Jarius Sneed, 2025 7th-Round Pick
Chiefs Receive: CB Dallis Flowers, 2025 3rd-Round Pick, 2025 6th-Round Pick
Bringing in L’Jarius Sneed would complicate all the reserves in the cornerback room. JuJu Brents is expected to start along with either Dallis Flowers or Jaylon Jones. The Colts could look to move Flowers, who is coming off an Achillies injury. Flowers can also help Kansas City in the return game and on special teams.
Moving the picks to 2025 allows some flexibility to hopefully regain a pick for next season in either compensatory or through move down trades this April. This would give the Colts a depth chart of Sneed, Brents, Kenny Moore II and Jaylon Jones for the 2024 season. An improved group from last season.