The Tennessee Titans have been aggressive in free agency, overhauling the offense with additions such as running back Tony Pollard, wide receiver Calvin Ridley and center Lloyd Cushenberry. Now they appear focused on bolstering their defense having reached an agreement with the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, according to ESPN.
Tennessee is expected to send a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to Kansas City and swap seventh-round picks in the 2024 draft. Sneed, who was given the franchise tag earlier this offseason, reportedly has an agreement with the Titans on a new contract that will make him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in NFL history.
The Indianapolis Colts also had interest in Sneed, SI reported last week, but Sneed’s desire for a lucrative new contract was the primary holdup in a deal coming to fruition.
Spotrac’s market value tool predicted Sneed would sign a multi-year deal that carried a $16.3 million annual average value, but that hypothetical deal would rank No. 8 among cornerbacks. The Titans had the third-most available cap space in the league, per Over the Cap, so they were well-positioned to swing a deal.
Sneed recorded 78 combined tackles, a career-high 14 passes defensed and two interceptions last season. He led the NFL in fewest yards per attempt allowed with 4.7 (min. 75 targets) and stands as one of just two players to record at least two interceptions and five tackles for loss in each of the past three seasons.
The Titans added Chidobe Awuzie during the first wave of free agency, giving the former Bengals cornerback a three-year contract. Tennessee did lose its former top CB in Kristian Fulton on Friday; he reached a one-year agreement with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Tennessee’s starting cornerback group will now feature Sneed, Awuzie and Roger McCreary in the slot. With the arrival of defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, whose expertise is with defensive backs as a former player himself, it was understood a new emphasis would be put on the secondary. Tennessee’s pass defense hasn’t finished in the top half of the league since 2018.
