Losing L'Jarius Sneed Hurts, but the Chiefs Can Weather the Storm
Players picked on day three of the NFL Draft normally don't come with high expectations — at least to start their careers. The Kansas City Chiefs' fourth-round selection in 2020, L'Jarius Sneed, is different. Unfortunately, less than a month into his stellar rookie campaign, he's already been bitten by the pesky injury bug.
Sneed broke his collarbone in the Chiefs' Week 3 win over the Baltimore Ravens. While it isn't known exactly how long he's slated to miss due to a number of factors that play into recovery from a fractured collarbone, it will be at least three weeks, as Sneed has been placed on injured reserve and isn't eligible to return until at least three games have passed by. Sneed's recovery could take as long as eight weeks, and nothing in the four-to-eight-week window should be a surprise.
This is a blow to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's secondary, as Sneed was riding high and started all three games for the Chiefs this season. He exceeded expectations, emerging as a hidden gem at cornerback.
My appreciation for Sneed's skillset and college tape is well-documented. With that said, even I didn't see him dominating like this out of the gate. In addition to recording a pair of interceptions in each of his first two games, Sneed has surrendered just 91 yards in coverage and posted a passer rating of 33.8 when targeted. That's ridiculously good, especially for a player still adjusting to the NFL game. He's a fan favorite, too, sparking a series of name-based puns that filled Chiefs Twitter timelines everywhere.
Sneed's blend of length, athleticism and ball skills is rare for such a young player. There's no avoiding the harsh truth: he'll definitely be missed. Not only does his injury likely end what was a way-too-early Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign, but now the Chiefs are down one of their better corners. If there's a team capable of overcoming that loss, though, it's the reigning Super Bowl champions.
Back in early August, Arrowhead Report's Conner Christopherson did a breakdown on the "curious case" of the Chiefs' cornerback situation. General manager Brett Veach is notorious for investing minimal early draft capital and funding into the position, which is an interesting route to take considering the old adage, "defense wins championships."
As of right now, the Chiefs spend the second-least amount of money in the NFL at cornerback. Veach is able to do that and still build a formidable defense because of the impact of pass-rushers like Frank Clark and Chris Jones, as well as do-it-all safety Tyrann Mathieu. He's also mastered the art of getting quality production for a cheap price.
Charvarius Ward, arguably the best cornerback on the team, is still on his first contract. Bashaud Breeland, a solid starter who will return from suspension for the Chiefs' Week 5 showdown with the Las Vegas Raiders, carries a cap hit of just $2.3 million this season. What about offseason free-agent acquisition Antonio Hamilton? $887,500. Sneed and fellow rookie Thakarius "BoPete" Keyes are both on rookie deals as day-three draft picks. The same goes for Rashad Fenton, who's making less than a million in 2020 and 2021.
The Chiefs' depth for this week's game against the New England Patriots is less than ideal but after that, they should be fine. On Sunday, expect the team to trot out Ward and Fenton on the boundary with Hamilton in the slot. Mathieu has played more than his fair share of slot corner in the past, so he could factor into that picture as well. Once Breeland is back, the secondary will be okay. Trust me.
Losing a promising young player is never easy, and it's not like cornerback was one of the Chiefs' strongest positions heading into the 2020 season. On the other hand, the trio of Ward, Breeland and Fenton should offset most of the production missing from Sneed while he's out. Can they track the ball like him? Maybe not. Are they as athletic as him? No way. But Ward is good, Breeland is solid and Fenton is serviceable. That will play, and the Chiefs will welcome Sneed back with open arms once he's healthy later in the season. After all, it's a marathon — not a sprint.
For more on Sneed's injury and what the Chiefs may do in his absence, click here.
