Could Falcons Trade for Chiefs CB L'Jarius Sneed?
The Atlanta Falcons have several needs to address this offseason, including the cornerback position.
A.J. Terrell has been a steady presence in the secondary and even earned second-team All-Pro honors in his second season. However, the Falcons' cornerback depth behind him has been practically non-existent, and they haven't exactly done much to fix it. Adding Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates III in free agency last offseason greatly helped the secondary, but Terrell is still mostly a one-man show at his position.
If the Falcons want to truly take the next step, then getting a running mate for Terrell is a must. With Atlanta having nearly $30 million in cap space, free agency seems like the ideal way to fill that need. Now, the Falcons have been linked to one of the top cornerbacks on the market in L'Jarius Sneed of the Kansas City Chiefs, per USA Today.
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
"Sneed still has permission to seek a trade despite the designation," USA Today writes. "A person with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports that the Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars have expressed interest in the Chiefs corner."
Fresh off a career year, Sneed should have several teams lining up for his services when free agency begins next month. The Louisiana Tech product had 14 passes defended and two interceptions while not allowing a single touchdown in coverage during the regular season.
All of this assumes that Sneed will make it to the market, which is anything but certain. The Chiefs have enough cap space to re-sign him (although that may mean letting defensive tackle Chris Jones walk), and he's a strong candidate for the franchise tag if they can't agree on a long-term deal. Even if the Chiefs do let Sneed walk, his price tag of nearly $20 million annually would dissuade some potential suitors.
The Falcons seem like a logical destination for Sneed and they have the resources on paper to make it happen, but it's a lot needs to happen in order to make it even remotely possible.
