Kansas City Chiefs place non-exclusive franchise tag on cornerback L'Jarius Sneed

The Kansas City Chiefs opted to place the non-exclusive franchise tag on cornerback L’Jarius Sneed before the tagging deadline this week, according to Adam Schefter. The non-exclusive franchise tag allows the team to hold on to him while he maintains the ability to negotiate with other teams. His franchise tag number for the 2024 season is roughly $19.8 million.

The former fourth-round draft pick tallied 78 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss. He also had two interceptions for the Chiefs this season, one in each game against the Eagles and the Chargers.

Over his first four seasons in the league, Sneed has racked up 303 tackles with 6.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss and 10 interceptions. He’s also added 75 tackles in postseason games, along with one interception, which came during Kansas City’s 2021 playoff run.

The Chiefs drafted Sneed in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Louisiana Tech. He went No. 138 overall and went on to play nine games in his rookie season.

The Kansas City Chiefs finished the 2023-24 season as back-to-back Super Bowl champs. Now, their attention turns to the offseason, where they will attempt to keep the core of their roster intact in hopes of becoming the first-ever NFL franchise to win three straight Super Bowls.

The Chiefs can continue to work with Sneed on a larger contract extension this offseason. They can also explore potential trading partners if the market is agreeable.

More on the 2024 NFL offseason, free agency

The NFL 2024 calendar year begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 13. At that time, contracts running through 2023 officially run out, making those players free agents. Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams will have a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 5. Beginning March 11 through March 13 teams can enter into a legal negotiation with players who will become unrestricted free agents.

In addition to NFL free agency, the new year also marks the beginning of all trades being made official by the league office. April 19 marks the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. On April 24, the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets hits. Following the restricted free agent deadline is the 2024 NFL Draft, which runs from April 25-27.