The marriage between L’Jarius Sneed and the Kansas City Chiefs is reportedly about to be broken. The elite cornerback will now be securing a roster spot with the Tennessee Titans. However, what exactly prompted the Chiefs to trade Sneed, especially when he is arguably in the good phase of his NFL career?

Among his multiple impressive performances in the 2023 season, one was his punching of the ball out of Zay Flowers’ hands, helping the Red Army to clinch the AFC Championship. Although the Chiefs are now planning to trade him, Sneed will forever be in the hearts of the Chiefs kingdom. But the question remains with so much importance and love given to Sneed, why did the Chiefs decide to cut him?

Here are 3 possible reasons for parting ways with Sneed

Drafted by the Chiefs in 2020, L’Jarius Sneed has been with the team during their successful years. While some of his teammates, like Chris Jones, have signed new deals, Sneed’s contract negotiations have hit a snag. Until 2023, he was on his rookie contract, which was a 4-year, $3,929,320 deal. However, he now wanted a significant raise, reportedly aiming for a $20 million annual salary. And that’s the first reason for the Chiefs to cut him. His to-be-ex teammate Mitchell Schwartz, finds Sneed’s demand reasonable, considering the market trends and the previous top-corner contracts.

However, the Chiefs find it too expensive. Additionally, the market for defensive backs was limited because most teams already had their positions filled, making it challenging to find a suitable trade partner willing to pay a high rise. Furthermore, the last reason could be the Chiefs had decent draft picks (six) and could select a quality defensive back from a talented draft class, such as Kool-Aid McKinstry. Therefore, trading Sneed allowed the Chiefs to remove a high-cost contract from their payroll, especially with other players like Jones having massive contracts (five-year extension worth $160 million).

Ultimately, it made sense for the Chiefs to part ways with Sneed under these circumstances. While teams like the Vikings, Colts, Lions, and Patriots also expressed their interest in the athlete, Sneed is now reportedly on his way to the Titans. But again, it remains to be seen how much the Titans are going to promise the cornerback.

How much will Sneed get from the Titans?

Arguably called a veteran cornerback, L’Jarius Sneed is being traded to the Titans from the Chiefs after four seasons. In exchange, the Chiefs will receive a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and swap seventh-round picks in the 2024 draft. After the trade, as per NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, Sneed is expected to sign a four-year contract worth $76 million with the Titans.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter also reported that “the extension would make him one of the highest paid cornerbacks in NFL history.” Additionally, his average annual salary of $19 million would rank him third among CBs, behind Jaire Alexander and Denzel Ward. The deal is, however, contingent on Sneed passing a physical examination.