L'Jarius Sneed trade grade: Rating Titans $76,000,000 move for former Chiefs CB

L'Jarius Sneed was a key player on the Kansas City Chiefs squad that captured the Super Bowl in February for the second time in a row. The cornerback was placed on the nonexclusive franchise tag by the team and is now on his way to join the Tennessee Titans.

How much Kansas City will miss Sneed's presence as they attempt to complete an inevitable three-peat in the Super Bowl remains to be seen. For now, let's see how good of a deal the two teams involved got.

The Tennessee Titans have had a busy offseason thus far. The team will add Sneed to one of the most exciting free-agent groups in 2024 after spending a lot of money on improvements for running back Tony Pollard, receiver Calvin Ridley, and center Lloyd Cushenberry.

Although L'Jarius Sneed's signing doesn't guarantee that the Titans will contend right away, they do have a chance to reclaim the top spot in the AFC South if they have a strong draft.

The Titans' defense was a major concern last year, even though they are hoping that Will Levis can establish himself as a reliable starting quarterback. Despite adding cornerback Chidobe Awuzie to their roster at the beginning of free agency, the team was still missing an anchorman on defense. That appears to be a resolved matter with Sneed.

Sneed also doesn't have a long history of injuries, and he is still only 27 years old. The Titans should still have their newly acquired CB playing at his peak level for multiple seasons.

If Sneed remains as good as he was in 2023, the Titans appear to have acquired him for a very modest cost. The value of this transaction for Tennessee will only become apparent over time, but you should always take advantage of the opportunity to make this type of deal.

Trade grade for Tennessee: A-

From the Chiefs' point of view, the Sneed trade is an example of what happens to Super Bowl winners and contenders when they encounter a salary cap constraint that necessitates concessions, trades, and revised deals.

Thus, it seems unlikely that L'Jarius Sneed would receive what he believes he is due in Kansas City. However, losing a player of his level could eventually reflect poorly on the team.

Trade Grade for Kansas City: C

L'Jarius Sneed contract and trade details: What are Chiefs getting from Titans?

All things considered, the Tennessee Titans gave up very little to acquire cornerback L'Jarius Sneed. For comparatively little money, the team acquired one of the top CBs available, taking L'Jarius Sneed and a 2024 seventh-round pick for a 2025 third-round pick, and a 2025 seventh-round pick.

It's conceivable that the Titans were unwilling to make an offer containing a high draft pick in 2024 because the Chiefs are only receiving a seventh-round pick in this year's draft.

There are multiple reports that L'Jarius Sneed will sign a four-year contract worth an estimated $76 million with the Titans. Based on the breakdown of that amount, it appears that his cap charge for 2024 will exceed $10 million.