The Kansas City Chiefs may have celebrated the Super Bowl little more than a month ago, but it’s time to look forward. Defensive back L’Jarius Sneed was traded as the team couldn’t afford another big salary, meaning a huge loss for Andy Reid.
“[Sneed is] one of my all-time favorite guys, a great human being as great a player as he is, [an even] better human being, and as tough as you can imagine,” Reid told Paul Kuharsky, via ChiefsWire. “I’m his biggest fan. Absolutely.”
Sneed will now play for the Tennessee Titans, who gave up a 2025 third-round pick and 2024 seventh-round pick swap to get the star DB. Besides, the player has reportedly been handed a four-year, $76.4 million deal with $55 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus.
That’s the kind of money Sneed was expecting after an incredible 2023 season. The Chiefs lost an integral piece of their championship defense but Reid understands it was a sacrifice that needed to be done.
Andy Reid at a press conference.
“I mean, he (Brett Veach) juggled the salary cap, and it’s ridiculous… what you have to go through, and players you can keep, and you can’t keep, but we all love them here, that wasn’t the problem,” Reid said. “He was our lockdown guy. Every best receiver. He had the best receiver.”
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However, the Chiefs can still head into 2024 with plenty of optimism. Sneed was the only notable departure this offseason so far, as the team is running things back with its core to continue its dynasty going.
“It’s legendary (three straight Super Bowls). No one’s ever done it,” Patrick Mahomes said. “We knew it’s legendary to win back-to-back. I think eight other teams have done it. We talked to the guys about it and we felt like we had the best opportunity.”
Apart from having Reid, Mahomes and Travis Kelce back, the Chiefs also re-signed Chris Jones and made interesting free agent additions such as Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown. Only time will tell how things play out at Arrowhead this year.
