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The Chiefs are still celebrating back-to-back Super Bowl titles after their victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, as the parade is scheduled for Wednesday in Kansas City. Yet once the celebrations are complete, the focus will quickly turn to next season and free agency, as the team hopes to keep two defensive stars.
Two pivotal players for the Chiefs, defensive tackle Chris Jones and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, are slated to become free agents in about one month’s time. The team has already announced keeping both in the fold is a priority, yet that’s going to be difficult.
During the lead-up to the Super Bowl, general manager Brett Veach told Adam Teicher of ESPN:
"Sometimes I look at our situation and I'm like, 'I don't know how we're going to do this,' but we usually work through things systematically and have a list of the priorities. Certainly, Chris [Jones] and LJ are at the top of the list.”
Veach further commented:""It's extremely hard because you have two keystone players there.''
Jones, one of the best defensive tackles in the league, missed all of training camp last summer as well as the first regular season game in a bid to sign a new contract. He never did receive the contract he was looking for, rather the Chiefs reworked the final year of his deal for an estimated $25 million, including $19.5 million in base salary. Part of the deal included the Chiefs retaining the right to place the franchise tag on Chris Jones this offseason, which many see as a distinct possibility.
Where Chiefs stand on L'Jarius Sneed's future
That is, unless the franchise tag is placed on Sneed.
Sneed, a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Louisiana Tech, has been a starter since his rookie season in Kansas City. In 57 games he’s picked off 10 passes and broke up 40. Sneed publicly stated he prefers to stay with the Chiefs, but retaining both he and Chris Jones may be a bit too expensive.
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There was talk during Senior Bowl week that Kansas City could place the franchise tag on Sneed this offseason, a move that is projected to cost around $19 million. If he hits the open market, expectations are that Sneed will sign a long-term contract that averages around $18.5 million annually, just under the tag amount.
If the Chiefs can’t sign Sneed in the offseason, where could he land? Keep an eye on the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders.
The Cowboys would have to do a lot of work to make enough room under the cap to sign Sneed. On the other hand, the Falcons presently have in excess of $25 million in cap space heading toward the new league year.
