July 5, 2024

Titans' L'Jarius Sneed with Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid

What Titans’ L’Jarius Sneed didn’t have with Chiefs that he’s so excited about after trade.

L’Jarius Sneed knows iron sharpens iron.

The Tennessee Titans aren’t the Kansas City Chiefs. Rookie head coach Brian Callahan isn’t Andy Reid, one of the several greatest coaches of all-time. Sophomore signal-caller Will Levis definitely isn’t Patrick Mahomes, whose first six seasons as a starter have yielded more team and individual success than any quarterback in NFL history. Even the Titans’ group of talented pass-catchers doesn’t quite feature a player like Travis Kelce, arguably the best ever at his position.

Titans' L'Jarius Sneed with Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid

As former Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed begins his tenure with Tennessee, though, he’s relishing the opportunity to hone his craft against teammates he never had in Kansas City: A pair of “elite wide receivers.” During a recent appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, the two-time Super Bowl champion explained why facing off with DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley in practice will help him “get better.”

Titans' L'Jarius Sneed with Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid

“To get out there and work with them elite wide receivers, I never had two elite guys like them, going up against them every day,” Sneed said, per Bobby Kownack of NFL.com. “I had great players, but them two guys, household names, they stick out. I can’t wait to get to work with those guys. I know they’re gonna make me better in practice, and I can’t wait to pick both of their brains on how to get better. What they see. What my weakness is from their eyes and not from other guys I’ve been playing with for four years. I want new guys looking from the outside in.”

L’Jarius Sneed’s teammates in Kansas City

Titans' L'Jarius Sneed with Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid

The Titans acquired Sneed in late March, ending his stalemate with the Chiefs after his longtime team placed the franchise tag on him early in the offseason. Kansas City always had plans to trade Sneed rather than re-sign him to a lucrative new contract, especially after agreeing to terms with superstar defensive tackle Chris Jones.

Titans' L'Jarius Sneed with Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid
Still, the Chiefs were no doubt disappointed to ultimately net a 2025 third-round pick and swap of 2024 seventh-round picks in exchange for a player who was arguably the best cornerback in football last season. As part of the trade, Sneed signed a four-year, $55 million contract with Tennessee that makes him one of the highest-paid cover men in the NFL.

Titans' L'Jarius Sneed with Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid

It remains to be seen if Sneed, already 27 and with a history of lingering knee injuries, can take his game to even greater heights with the Titans. But as self-serving as his boast about his new team’s star wide receivers seems on the surface, it also stands up to scrutiny.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *