Chiefs ‘Preparing’ for $65 Million Star to Walk in Free Agency

It’s no secret that the Chiefs’ defense played a major role in helping the team win consecutive Super Bowls.

Regretfully, Chris Jones and L’Jarius Sneed, two of the Chiefs’ best defensive players, became free agents in March. Jones’ franchise tag would set the Chiefs back more than $32 million. According to Spotrac.com, Sneed will sign a free agency contract worth $65 million for four years.

Keeping both seems nearly impossible, even with the 2024 salary cap that has been inflated. On February 19, ESPN insider Dan Graziano wrote, “Jones is the team’s best player not named Patrick Mahomes, and his game-wrecking performance in the Super Bowl only highlighted his value.”

Graziano says it’s not shocking that Jones is given priority. “For the past couple of years, Kansas City has been preparing for [Sneed’s] potential exit.”

Trent McDuffie, the cornerback, has two more years left on his $13.9 million rookie contract, so Graziano thinks the Chiefs “may just let [Sneed] walk.”

“It would be difficult to replace Seed because he is among the best corners in the league and a vital component of the Chiefs’ defense (nine pass breakups in the previous season and ten career interceptions),” Graziano wrote. However, the Chiefs have selected four cornerbacks in the previous two drafts, including Trent Mcduffie, a first-round pick in 2022 who seems more than prepared to assume the position of starting cornerback in the event that Sneed leaves.

“They have been preparing for the possibility of this happening with their draft strategy. Jones is a top-five defender in the league and the engine of their pass rush; he appears to be harder to replace than Sneed.

Trent McDuffie and Julius Sneed Apart: “The Greatest 1-2 Punch at Cornerback in the NFL”

McDuffie had 80 tackles, 7 passes defensed, 5 forced fumbles, and 3 sacks in the previous campaign. In the postseason, he added 12 more tackles, 7 passes defensed, and 1 fumble recovery.

During the regular season, Sneed recorded 78 total tackles, 14 passes defensed, and 2 interceptions. He added an additional 17 tackles, 3 passes defensed, and 1 forced fumble during the playoffs. Chiefs analyst Seth Keysor thinks it would be a mistake to separate Sneed and McDuffie. The pair was dubbed the “best 1-2 punch at cornerback in the NFL” by him.

“Sneed and McDuffie are fundamental players around whom a defensive gameplan can be built,” wrote Keysor. They also made it very clear who the NFL’s top 1-2 CB tandem is and how crucial it is to maintain them together.

This past season, Sneed and McDuffie “demonstrated their value as cornerstones of a franchise,” but Jones is also “central” to Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

If the Chiefs sign Chris Jones to a long-term contract, will they be able to keep L’Jarius Sneed?

If the Chiefs restructure Mahomes’ contract, they will have enough cap space to franchise tag Jones. Still, there wouldn’t be much space for additional actions. Kansas City may also make Sneed an attractive deal if they are able to negotiate a new, long-term contract with Jones, which appears to be the case.

But there won’t be enough cash left over after selecting new players via the NFL draft to keep a number of other important pending free agents. Sneed does not appear inclined to accept a pay decrease, despite the chance to complete a three-peat in the Super Bowl. This is the 27-year-old Louisiana Tech alum’s best chance to cash in and grab the bag.

Graziano speculated, “Even though it’s possible for the Chiefs to keep both Jones and Sneed, the prediction here is that they won’t. With McDuffie and others ready to move up, it feels like the Chiefs are prepared to let Sneed leave and use that money elsewhere.” Given how indispensable Jones is, I believe they will manage to keep him.

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