L'Jarius Sneed's Contract Is the Key to the Chiefs' Offseason

In the modern NFL, offenses largely rule the day. That's especially true when you're talking about the Kansas City Chiefs. With Andy Reid calling the plays and Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce working their magic, that unit is going to steal most of the headlines.

But during the 2023 campaign, the defense stepped up. Chris Jones may be that unit's star name, and while he's out of contract after the season, he isn't the name that needs to be at the top of general manager Brett Veach's to-do list.

L'Jarius Sneed holds that spot. Let's break it down.

Sneed Proved His Worth on Wild Card Weekend

Sometimes it can be tough to evaluate how good a defensive back is. When you're truly elite, offenses will often choose to ignore your side of the field; think back to the infamous Revis Island.

But, with the extra media attention that accompanies the start of the NFL playoffs, we got a clear glimpse of what Sneed can do.

On X, formerly Twitter, the league shared a clip of the Chiefs defender battling Tyreek Hill at the line of scrimmage. While press coverage can often look like little more than a bump, Sneed sent the Dolphins speedster to the turf, fully eliminating him from the play.

Hill, for his part, acknowledged the effort.

But that highlight only tells half the story. While you could argue that the cold weather and some conservative play-calling doomed the Dolphins from the start, Sneed did his in part shutting down their passing attack. The cornerback largely shadows the opposition's top playmakers (we'll discuss that more shortly) and shackled Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

Those efforts, of course, paid dividends in the final score, as the Chiefs advanced from a frigid Arrowhead.

Re-signing Sneed Has to Be Offseason Priority

Whether the current Kansas City campaign ends in a Super Bowl or some early disappointment, the season will ultimately come to a close. And when that moment arrives, the club will have to figure out how to handle its impending free agents.

At the risk of overlooking some names further down the roster, the Chiefs brass will have to make decisions regarding Jones, Mecole Hardman, Mike Edwards, Drue Tranquill, Donovan Smith, Derrick Nnadi, Tommy Townsend, Willie Gay Jr., Mike Danna and Sneed. While there's always room for some creative accounting—contracts can be re-structed, and cutting Marquez Valdes-Scantling will create a bit more space—some of those contracts will have to give.

And while Jones may seem like the priority, there's a legitimate case for prioritizing Sneed and sorting everything else out. It may seem reductionist, but it comes down to the value for money.

Is the big defensive lineman a game-wrecker? Yes, it's impossible to ignore his presence, even if he doesn't make it to the quarterback. But, if the 2023 offseason was any indication, Jones is going to be asking for a massive contract; franchise tagging him wouldn't save money, either.

Sneed, on the other hand, won't break the bank. He'll undoubtedly get a raise on his $2.9 million cap hit, but he won't push into Jones territory. Spotrac pegs his market value around $11 million per season, while Over the Cap pushed him closer to the $15 million mark.

Now, let's place that money into the larger context. Per Over the Cap's numbers, the Chiefs will have a shade over $31 million in cap space heading into the 2024 season. Again, there's room for a bit of a buffer (cutting Valdes-Scantling before June will save $12 million in cap hit, for example), but it's unlikely that there will be a massive shift. The club will have to make do with a respectable but limited budget.

If Jones is eating up the vast majority of that, there's no room for improvement. And if the 2023 season showed anything, it's that you can't rely on a few stars to lift the entire roster.

It's tough to directly compare the impact of a pass rusher and a defensive back, but Sneed does provide value for money. His ability to travel with the opposition's top receiving threat is impressive, and it makes everyone else's lives easier. Trent McDuffie, for example, is a talented corner in his own right, and the Chiefs are able to match his strength against a weaker player.

"Coverage sacks" are also a thing, and they factor into the equation. Will K.C.'s pass rush take a step back without Jones? Probably, but if the opposing quarterback has to hold the ball for an extra second, that could give George Karlaftis and company time to get home.

Depending on how the rest of the Chiefs campaign plays out, there are plenty of ways to attack the offseason. Conventional wisdom would suggest that another receiver has to be a target, but Rashee Rice's emergence could push that further down the list. The defensive line could use some reinforcements, especially with Jones, Nnadi and Danna staring down free agency. Alternatively, the club could look to bolster the offensive line; Donovan Smith is an impeding free agent and Jawaan Taylor's penalty problems could leave the club looking for an improvement.

No matter how you slice it, though, there are moves to be made this offseason, and that's not even counting the dull ones like keeping a backup quarterback on the roster. And keeping Jones on the roster will make it that much tougher to keep the books balanced.

Sneed, however, provides lockdown talent at a relatively reasonable price. When you're trying to keep a championship window open, that's a necessity.