The Tennessee Titans had several opportunities to take L’Jarius Sneed before the Kansas City Chiefs selected him with the No. 138 pick in the fourth round of the 2020 draft.
Four years later, Tennessee seized the opportunity to acquire Sneed, trading a 2025 third-round pick and two 2024 seventh-round picks with Kansas City in return for the cornerback. Once the trade is completed, Sneed will have a contract extension that will position him among the highest-paid cornerbacks in NFL history.
Combining Sneed alongside recent free agent signing Chidobe Awuzie provides the Titans a significant boost at cornerback.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Tennessee had the league’s lowest touchdown-to-interception ratio last season (15-3). Sneed had two interceptions last season but did not allow a score on more than 90 targets, the most by a cornerback since Stephon Gilmore did so on 96 targets in 2019.
The Titans have waited a long time for the lockdown coverage that Sneed promises. Ran Carthon, Titans general manager, used his first season to analyze the team’s secondary condition.
Adoree Jackson was the 18th overall pick in 2017. The next season, Malcolm Butler was signed to a five-year, $61 million contract with more than $30 million guaranteed in 2018.
The Titans then used their draft picks on cornerbacks Kristian Fulton (second round, 2020), Caleb Farley (first round, 2021), and Roger McCreary (second round, 2022).
With so much draft money invested in the position, the Titans’ results have been uneven, but Carthon’s approach to upgrading the position appears to have improved the secondary.
Only Farley and McCreary remain on the roster after Fulton signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Chargers last week. Fulton was one of 14 cornerbacks taken in 2020 before Sneed.
“I’ve been an underdog my whole life,” Sneed remarked before Super Bowl LVIII. “I embraced it. I love it. It’s what has shaped who I am.
Sneed’s ability to line up on the outside then move inside to the slot demonstrates the versatility required to be a quality cornerback. He was a significant reason Kansas City’s pass defense allowed only 185.8 passing yards per game last season.
“He loves a challenge,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said of Sneed last season. “He wants to compete against their very best. That is why we do it. When you have a person like him in your corner, you can place him as their best guy.”
Sneed faced a number of standout receivers last year, including Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, Davante Adams, A.J. Brown, Justin Jefferson, and Ja’Marr Chase. Despite the fact that the group looks like a Pro Bowl roster, none of them had 100 receiving yards against Sneed.
Dennard Wilson, the Titans’ new defensive coordinator, will not have to worry about opponents moving their top pass receiver across the formation to create a favorable matchup. He can easily arrange for Sneed to accompany them to their intended target.
“This is a matchup game as well,” Wilson stated during his first press conference. “You want to have people that are versatile to play numerous positions to adjust and adapt to what you’re getting from the offense.”
Sneed’s propensity to jam wide receivers at the line of scrimmage will disrupt timing and provide pass-rushers more time to reach the quarterback.
Tennessee’s pass defense finished 18th last season, allowing 227.4 yards per game and recording the fewest interceptions with six. In fact, DaRon Bland (9) and Geno Stone (7) both finished with more.
Sneed recorded two interceptions last season. He may not address all of the secondary issues, but he is a key component of a makeover that is anticipated to improve the defense.
But the Titans are not finished. They can still sign free players, and the draft begins on April 25. They presently have eight picks, beginning with No. 7 overall.
So there are more possibilities to add, but bringing in a cornerback who has left his mark on a defense coming off back-to-back Super Bowls is a nice start.
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