As the confetti was still falling in Las Vegas on another Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl victory, general manager Brett Veach was faced with a difficult decision: Chris Jones or L'Jarius Sneed?
The two players were franchise stars and key members of an elite Super Bowl-winning defense. The Chiefs ultimately chose to extend Chris Jones and trade L'Jarius Sneed to the Titans. This appears to have been the right move.
People where disappointed with the L'Jarius Sneed trade this spring. Sneed is now set to miss his 6th consecutive game.
— Price Carter (@priceacarter) November 21, 2024
Titans still owe him $34 million over the next 3 years and the Chiefs are slated to have 3 picks in the top 70 including pick 68 from Tenn #ChiefsKingdom
Even with Chiefs' corners struggling against the Buffalo Bills in Week 11, there are still lots of reasons to say the Chiefs made the right move.
First off, let's with a weakness. The Chiefs' pass rush has struggled to get home without a blitz. Chiefs rank 4th in blitz rate in the NFL but only rank 20th in QB pressures and tied for 29th in sacks. This isn't Chris Jones' fault though he's currently PFF's top interior pass rusher and has 37 pressures which ranks higher than Maxx Crosby, Nik Bonitto, and T.J. Watt. Now imagine what the Chiefs' pass rush would be without Jones. The Chiefs defense needed Jones more than it did Sneed.
Next, you have to look at what the Titans have gotten out of Sneed. He's currently rated as the worst corner in football, according to PFF. When targeted Sneed has allowed 10 receptions, 124 yards, and a touchdown for 75.3 passer rating and +4.1 EPA/ per a play in just 5 games played.
Here lies the other issue Sneed has not been on the field. He missed all of training camp in 2023 with a lower leg injury and nursed it throughout the season. During the offseason, rumors were that Sneed's injury history was a concern despite him rarely missing a game. Now Sneed is set to miss his 6th straight game.
L'Jarius Sneed to miss sixth straight game with quad injury. https://t.co/mDkPtg6Sa3
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 20, 2024
Some Chiefs fans might point out the Chiefs could've possibly kept both Sneed and Jones. While the salary cap remains flexible that could've limited the Chiefs' ability to make in-season moves such as DeAndre Hopkins and Kareem Hunt—both of which were key to getting through an injury-riddled season. Moreover, how would it feel knowing the team owes $33 million to a corner that already is struggling to make it through the season?
Lastly, you have the draft pick. Several were disappointed with getting a 2025 pick rather than getting a 2024 pick, but because the Titans bet on themselves having a better 2024 than 2023, the Chiefs now are slated to have the 4th pick in the 3rd round (68). Here are a few names drafted at or after 68 in the last 3 years: Tank Dell (69), Abraham Lucas (72) and Alim McNeill (72).
The Chiefs are about to have a wave of players leave their roster after 2024. The Chiefs currently do not have the following players under contract for the 2025 season: Hopkins, Marquise Brown, Trey Smith, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Carson Wentz, Mecole Hardman, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, James Winchester, Mike Pennel, Justin Watson, Kareem Hunt, Samaje Perine, Tershawn Wharton, Charles Omenihu, Joshua Uche, Derek Nnadi, Nick Bolton and Justin Reid. They are going to need lots of draft picks and cheap affordable players to help fill this void.
While the absence of L'Jarius Sneed might've been felt against Buffalo the Chiefs are still a solid defense without him and have cap flexibility and a top 70 pick to go forward with too. Moving Sneed appears to have been another savvy move by Brett Veach.