The market for star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is heating up.
The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to franchise tag (a one-year, $19.8M deal) the two-time Super Bowl champion and could trade him if they don’t reach a long-term contract.
Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins might be interested in adding the defensive star.
Detroit is a more attractive trade partner. According to Tankathon, the Lions have four picks through the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft, while the Dolphins only have two.
More importantly, the Lions have spending room. Spotrac estimates they have $54.29M in cap room, the seventh-most in the NFL. Miami, meanwhile, is $28.48M over the cap. Sneed’s market value is a four-year deal worth $16.3M annually.
Detroit’s secondary is one of the team’s biggest weaknesses. Last season, the Lions ranked second to last in the league in passing yards allowed (257 YPG).
Sneed would certainly solve this issue. Per Pro Football Reference, the 27-year-old allowed zero receiving TDs and a below-average 56.4 passer rating in 16 regular-season games. Pro Football Focus rated him as its 10th-best free agent.
“Sneed was a fixture out wide in 2023 after lining up primarily in the slot over his first three seasons, and he held up quite well in several tough matchups,” wrote PFF’s Brad Speilberger. “Sneed could stand to cut down on penalties, but his aggressive nature would be welcome on many teams, and his inside-outside versatility is a nice benefit, as well.”
Last season, the Lions emerged as a championship contender after they won the NFC North and made the NFC Championship Game. To win their first Super Bowl, they must tweak their roster and make big moves, like trading for Sneed. As of Sunday, FanDuel places them within its top-10 Super Bowl LIX odds.