L’Jarius Sneed has been a crucial part of the Kansas City Chiefs‘ success in winning back-to-back Super Bowls, helping anchor the secondary as a dependable contributor at cornerback. The fourth-year pro is slated to hit free agency, however, and made his demands to Chiefs general manager Brett Veach clear on Thursday.
L’Jarius Sneed to Chiefs GM: ‘Pay Me. Pay Me.’
Sneed joined host Kay Adams on the Up & Adams Show on Thursday, a day after Kansas City held a parade to celebrate winning Super Bowl 58. Adams teed him up with a question as to what he would like to tell Veach, and Sneed made his priorities clear.
“Pay me,” Sneed repeated several times with a smile on his face. “That’s all I got to say. Pay me.”
"Pay me. Pay. Me."
L'Jarius Sneed's message to Chiefs GM Brett Veach 🔊@jay__sneed @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/gO6h5tP6eH
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) February 15, 2024
Sneed appears in line to command a significant contract this offseason after posting three straight productive seasons as a full-time starter for the Chiefs. He started 16 regular-season games this past season, racking up 78 tackles (60 solo), including five tackles for loss, two interceptions, and 12 additional pass breakups.
He also had three tackles (two solo) and one pass breakup during Super Bowl 58, a year after posting seven tackles (three solo) and two pass breakups in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl 57 win.
Those numbers come on the heels of a strong 2022 season where Sneed had a career-high 108 tackles (75 solo), including five tackles for loss, three interceptions, 11 total pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery across 17 regular-season starts.
Sneed’s rookie contract expires following the 2023 season after he was selected 138th overall by Kansas City in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
He earned just north of $2.7 million in base salary this past season and seems to be in line for a big raise in free agency. Sneed is estimated to command around $16.3 million in average annual salary per Spotrac, which puts his market value at a four-year contract worth right around $65 million.
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Whether the Chiefs ultimately shell out that kind of a deal for Sneed remains to be seen. He’s one of five Kansas City players listed among PFN’s list of the top 100 free agents this offseason, sitting 10th overall on the list and tops among cornerbacks.
With other key players to pay and other suitors potentially able to offer Sneed more in free agency, it’s unclear whether this could be it for his time in Kansas City.
Trent McDuffie’s emergence, who has two years remaining on his rookie deal, as a fellow standout in the CB room could also give Kansas City confidence in kicking the can down the road and allocating its money differently.
Time will tell how it all ultimately shakes out as the Chiefs gear up to pursue the NFL‘s first three-peat.
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