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The Kansas City Chiefs have placed the $19.8 million franchise tag on star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed for the 2024 season, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Schultz noted the Chiefs’ “priority” is to work out a long-term deal with All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones and then see what happens with Sneed later.
The move comes as little surprise after ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on Tuesday that the Chiefs informed Sneed “they are prepared to use the franchise tag and are open to consummate a trade off it if no long-term deal is reached.”
Fowler added that Sneed “is agreeable to the scenario, giving him [a] chance to talk with other teams while K.C. remains in play.”
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Kansas City has given Sneed permission to explore a trade:
Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: The #Chiefs haven’t tagged CB L’Jarius Sneed yet, but they are expected to. And he has permission to explore a trade 👀 pic.twitter.com/HJ2uVivgjK
The Chiefs selected Sneed in the fourth round of the 2020 draft out of Louisiana Tech, and he went on to make an immediate impact as a rookie, posting three interceptions, seven passes defended, two sacks and 41 tackles in nine games.
Sneed put together perhaps the best season of his career in 2022, recording three interceptions, 3.5 sacks, 11 passes defended, three forced fumbles and 108 tackles in 17 games.
In three playoff games that year, he posted two passes defended and 17 tackles en route to helping the Chiefs win the Super Bowl.
The 27-year-old is coming off a solid 2023 campaign in which he recorded two interceptions, 14 passes defended, one fumble recovery and 78 tackles in 16 games.
During the postseason, he posted three pass breakups, one forced fumble and 17 tackles to help the Chiefs become the first team since the New England Patriots to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
One of the most memorable parts of the playoffs for Sneed came when he forced Zay Flowers to fumble near the goal line in the AFC Championship Game after the Baltimore Ravens wide receiver taunted him in the third quarter.
Kansas City Chiefs @Chiefs
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, L’JARIUS SNEED!!! pic.twitter.com/rHw8hcuUgG
If the Chiefs were to move on, they’d be left with Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Mike Edwards and Justin Reid in the secondary.
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