The Kansas City Chiefs have officially placed the franchise tag on CB L’Jarius Sneed, preventing one of the top pending free agents from hitting the open market. Speculated and assumed for the past week, the team made the announcement moments ago.
The tag for Sneed comes in at $19.802 million for his 2024 base salary. Reportedly, Sneed and the Chiefs are open to a tag-and-trade scenario, leading some to speculate that the Steelers could have interest in the fourth-year veteran. But the price of the tag, needing the cap space to initially absorb that number in a trade scenario, and the cost of a long-term deal for Sneed makes Pittsburgh a less likely scenario.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Chiefs have given him permission to seek a trade.
Much like Justin Fields and a host of quarterback options, Sneed will be a name brought up in connection with Pittsburgh until there’s a resolution with his future. It’s not known what compensation the Chiefs would want back or when a potential trade could happen.
Sneed and Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson were among the top two corners slated for free agency. Sneed won’t get there on March 13 and it’s doubtful Johnson does either. Though not officially tagged ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, the Bears have been adamant about keeping him. If the two sides are unable to work out a long-term deal over the next 24 hours, the franchise tag will likely be applied.
With a strong cornerback class in this year’s draft, the Steelers could wait until April to make a serious push for a starting corner opposite Joey Porter Jr. It’s one of the deepest positions on the draft with potentially a half-dozen names selected in the first round and quality depth throughout.
Other players tagged this year include Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins, though it’s possible he could be dealt as well.
The NFL’s legal tampering period begins Monday, March 11 with the official start of the new league year (when players can officially sign and trades can be processed) kicking off on Wednesday, March 13.
