There is still smoke surrounding Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.
According to Tyler Dragon of USA Today, the Lions “have inquired” about Sneed since the cornerback was granted permission to seek a trade. The Chiefs granted him that permission after placing the franchise tag on him.
“Both sides have until mid-July to finalize a long-term extension or until the NFL’s trade deadline to part ways via trade,” Dragon wrote in an email.
“Sneed is one of the top zone coverage corners in the NFL. According to Next Gen Stats, Sneed allowed no touchdowns and a league-low four yards per target in zone coverage in 2023.
However, the Lions are one of seven clubs who have expressed an interest in trading for Sneed.
Dragon stated that, in addition to the Lions, the Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, and Jacksonville Jaguars had all enquired about Sneed.
Although Sneed is not technically a free agent, Pro Football Focus ranks him as the No. 10 probable free agent available this offseason. During the 2023 season, he had 78 combined tackles, including 5 for loss, 14 pass defenses, and 2 interceptions over 16 games.
Sneed also won two Super Bowls as a starter for the Chiefs.
How CB L’Jarius Sneed Could Fit In With The Lions
Sneed was one of the most popular free agents linked to Detroit early this offseason. Rumors that the Lions could sign Sneed have intensified as free agency approaches.
In the two days before Dragon’s report, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler mentioned the Lions as a possible landing site for Sneed, and 97.1 The Ticket’s Mike Valenti strongly advocated for Detroit to sign the two-time Super Bowl winner.
“Don’t play this game with me, that we are somehow poor or if we paid L’Jarius Sneed we can not function or there wouldn’t be money for Aidan [Hutchinson], or what about Amon-Ra [St. Brown],” Valenti was quoted as saying on March 4. “You’re in a wonderful cap situation. So please remind me again, and talk into my good ear.
“Tell me why I shouldn’t want the Lions to pick up the phone, offer pick 61, and make a five-year, $95 million offer to L’Jarius Sneed. Tell me why.
According to Spotrac, the Lions have the sixth-most salary cap room, with around $54.3 million to spend. Detroit also has four picks in the top 100 for the 2024 draft.
That should put the Lions in excellent position to sign Sneed or another impactful cornerback or defensive player this offseason.
Detroit might use an improvement to improve their pass defense. Last season, the Lions were 27th in passing yardage allowed and 29th in net passing yards yielded per attempt. They also ranked 23rd in sacks.
How High Will the Price of Sneed Be?
Sneed to the Lions appears to be picking up momentum, but as Dragon reported, roughly a quarter of the league is intrigued.
There is no assurance that he will be traded at all. The Chiefs tagged Sneed with the hopes of still reaching an agreement on a long-term contract.
If he is available, it will be costly to outbid Sneed’s other suitors. Multiple sources have claimed that Sneed’s asking price will be at least a second-round pick.
With so many teams interested, it is possible that the asking price will increase.
If Sneed is franchised for the 2024 season, he will have a $19.8 million cap hit. However, any team that gets him will do so with the goal of signing him to a long-term contract.
Spotrac estimated Sneed’s market value to be $65.3 million over a four-year contract. That would result in the cornerback earning an average annual pay of $16.3 million.
While pricey, signing Sneed appears to be one of the best options for the Lions to ensure an upgrade in their cornerback room in 2024.
