Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports the Kansas City Chiefs are working on a potential tag-and-trade with superstar cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. Per Fowler, multiple teams are said to be in the mix, and Miami is a team worth watching.
Per Fowler: “Cornerback was a popular position of discussion in Indy, most notably for the trade market. We know the Chiefs are working on a potential tag-and-trade with L’Jarius Sneed, and multiple teams are believed to be in the mix there. The word out of Indy is that Detroit is pretty set on adding a high-end corner, so the Lions are one to watch. Miami is worth keeping an eye on, too.
Several teams believe Saints corner Marshon Lattimore — whose base salary is a paltry $1.2 million due to a restructure — is also available via a trade, and there’s intrigue on Bucs cornerback Carlton Davis III.”
𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: The #Lions and #Dolphins are two teams to keep an eye on if the #Chiefs decide to trade L'Jarius Sneed, per @JFowlerESPN https://t.co/da90TyMoWu pic.twitter.com/GNeqULOcsD
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 3, 2024
Sneed just turned 27 years old and was a 4th-round pick by Kansas City in the 2020 draft. Since being in the NFL, he has 40 pass deflections and 10 interceptions. He is considered one of the best cornerbacks in football. Still, because Kansas City has a salary cap situation and cannot afford to pay both superstar defensive tackle Chris Jones and Sneed, it is expected KC will tag Sneed and look to trade him to get compensation in return. While the big money offer they give out will go to Chris Jones.
The Dolphins have salary cap issues of their own, so Miami trading for Sneed would be tricky. It would most likely mean that Christian Wilkins will not be back and will leave as a free agent. And from the same ESPN report this morning, it appears to be more likely, with the news out of the Combine, that the Dolphins at this time do not plan to use the franchise tag on Wilkins and are letting him explore the open free agent market.
The Dolphins recently announced they plan to cut Xavien Howard as a post-June 1st designation, so Sneed would solve the issue of replacing him and give Miami the best-starting cornerback duo with Ramsey and Sneed. Along with Jevon Holland at secondary the Dolphins secondary would be arguably the beset in the NFL heading into the 2024 season.
The issue in trading for Sneed is Miami, who didn’t have a 1st and 2nd round pick in 2022, and also didn’t have a 1st round pick in 2023, would have to part with both their 1st and 2nd round picks in this 2024 draft (and Miami doesn’t have a 3rd or 4th round pick in this draft) or most likely part with a 1st round pick this year and a future 1st round pick or 2nd round pick in 2025, which seems unlikely for a Dolphins team to do as they have numerous holes on the roster they need to fill at this time.
More on this story as it develops.
It makes sense for the Lions not so much for Miami. The news of Wilkins and Hunt walking tells me the rebuild starts next week. I realize much of fanbase will reject rebuild notion but eventually come to my way of thinking. I think Grier realized after KC playoff game that rebuild failed. It’s time to blow this up.
I believe coaching was mostly the problem. The players looked lifeless the last 5, 6 games. All the injuries didn’t help any either but, Fangio couldn’t fire them boyz up cause they didn’t like the old man. Wilkins might look better goin at the price he’s asking. The other players on the D made him look good. Just like in college.