Chiefs' trade of Trent McDuffie just opened the door for a risky reunion

The Kansas City Chiefs shocked the NFL by trading away superstar cornerback Trent McDuffie to the L.A. Rams in exchange for significant draft capital, a move that helped K.C. improve its arsenal of draft picks and also saved the team a significant amount of money. The Chiefs' unstable secondary means they now enter the offseason with a need to hunt for reinforcements either through free agency or the draft.

The McDuffie story is a familiar one for Chiefs fans. In 2018, the Chiefs made a similar move, sending star corner Marcus Peters to the Rams. More recently, Kansas City struggled to finalize an extension with another star corner, L'Jarius Sneed, and after he was tagged, the Chiefs shipped him off to the Titans for draft picks.

To put it lightly, Sneed has struggled in Tennessee, both on and off the field, and with the heft of his contract, he could be slated to be a cap casualty before the start of free agency.

Why might the Titans let go of Sneed?

Sneed carries a nearly $20 million cap charge into 2026, and by releasing him, the Titans could immediately clear over 11 million dollars in cap space. Since arriving in Tennessee, Sneed has played in just 12 games over two years, dealing with a wide range of lower-body injuries.

Another major factor in Sneed's value on the open market will be his off-field legal issues. Sneed was indicted for failing to report a felony, as his personal assistant allegedly fired gunshots out of a car Sneed was driving. The charges he faces have a maximum penalty of up to a year in prison, and jail time would almost certainly alter his value in free agency.

Sneed even issued a somewhat cryptic tweet suggesting there could be some change on the horizon for him, but also suggested that he is ready for it.

Why should the Chiefs should sign him?

But let's assume the Titans do release Sneed, and all the boxes are checked regarding his health and legal issues. Sneed was a star for the Chiefs and was arguably a top-5 corner in the NFL, and he is only two years removed from playing at an All-Pro level (he was snubbed in 2023-24). Now that McDuffie has been traded, the role Sneed was so successful in is wide open, and it is well worth considering buying low and bringing him back to Kansas City.

This is something the Patriots did for years during their dynasty, where players would leave the Patriots, struggle, and then return to New England. Maybe the most prominent example is Jamie Collins, who left and returned to the Patriots twice in his NFL career. Other examples, such as Trent Brown, JC Jackson, LeGarrette Blount, and Patrick Chung, are players who left the Patriots in free agency, only to return to New England years later.

With the Chiefs, Sneed was successful regardless of where he lined up and proved to be one of the best slot and boundary corners in the league. The Chiefs love that versatility, moving players like him around the defense and forcing quarterbacks to make decisions about different defensive looks. Sneed is also a great open-field tackler who brings a hybrid ability to blitz and be effective against the run, something the Chiefs defense desperately needs with McDuffie's departure.

Now it is fair to say the Chiefs may want to stay away from adding (more) players with legal issues. If the Chiefs determine there is legitimacy to the allegations, or if they know Sneed's off-field actions are becoming a trend, steering clear of Sneed would be the right option. Kansas City cannot afford to have more legal drama in the locker room, let alone off the field, if Sneed has to serve jail time.

But speaking from a purely talent perspective, the Chiefs were clearly a match made in heaven for Sneed when he was first drafted. Now, with his struggles elsewhere and his potential to become a free agent, the Chiefs should strongly consider bringing him back on a short-term deal to see if they can re-ignite the fire.