Chiefs Officially Place Franchise Tag on L'Jarius Sneed

The Chiefs officially placed the franchise tag on L'Jarius Sneed on Monday, an expected move that now either keeps him on the roster for one more season or opens the door for a potential trade.

Sneed has permission to seek a trade and will now, barring an extension, make a 2024-25 salary commensurate with being one of the best cornerbacks and defensive players in the NFL.

This move also makes a Chris Jones extension more likely, given the Chiefs now cannot use the franchise tag on Jones, indicating they've made progress during negotiations.

Chiefs News: KC Places Franchise Tag on L'Jarius Sneed

Remember that this does not guarantee Sneed will be traded. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport clarified that Sneed could still play out the season on the tag, though Brett Veach would likely then need to consider a legitimate long-term extension or risk losing the former fourth-round pick for nothing in return.

Veach has been comfortable trading both good defenders and good cornerbacks in general, sending Charvarius Ward and Dee Ford to the 49ers as he rebuilt the defense. Of course, there's also the famous Tyreek Hill trade that provided draft compensation to take Trent McDuffie and cap space to keep Chris Jones.

Sneed is likely to have multiple suitors, though it's rare to see cornerbacks traded for a massive haul. A second-round pick feels like probable compensation, and I'd expect the AFC to be off-limits if Sneed is ultimately traded.

It should be an interesting week in Kansas City as teams make their pitches, but we're at least one step closer to seeing a fan-favorite play in a different uniform next season.

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