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Adam Teicher, ESPN Staff Writer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When the Kansas City Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill two years ago and went on to win back-to-back Super Bowls, they confirmed that their world wouldn’t end if they watched one of their stars walk out the door.
They can even prosper if they respond the right way.
That’s timely to remember now, with the Chiefs placing the nonexclusive franchise tag on cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and giving him permission to seek a trade to a team that would give him the long-term contract he desires, as they once did with Hill.
The Chiefs might be better off if Sneed finds that team, as Hill did with the Miami Dolphins.
There would be worse things for the Chiefs than to retain Sneed and have him smother the opposition’s top wide receivers again in 2024, as he did last season. But would that be the best thing for the Chiefs, better than the salary cap relief and draft picks they would get in return?
Maybe not.
The idea that the Chiefs absolutely need to hang on to Sneed to have any chance of becoming the NFL’s first team to win three straight Super Bowls ignores the lessons from the Hill trade.
Trading Sneed would immediately free the Chiefs of the nearly $20 million he counts against their salary cap as their franchise player. General manager Brett Veach did a lot with a lesser amount last year, filling in defensive gaps to sign end Charles Omenihu, linebacker Drue Tranquill and safety Mike Edwards for a total of $11 million against their 2023 salary cap.
All three were big contributors to the Chiefs’ Super Bowl run.
The Chiefs are low on picks this year, with only six at this point. It wouldn’t hurt for them to get an additional shot at players such as cornerback Trent McDuffie or wide receiver Rashee Rice. The Chiefs used picks obtained in the Hill trade to move up and select McDuffie in 2022 and Rice in 2023.
The Hill trade is a big reason the Chiefs can feel comfortable in dealing Sneed. McDuffie was an All-Pro last season and looks ready to carry the responsibilities Sneed had last season. The Chiefs selected four other cornerbacks in the last two drafts and one, Josh Williams, looked ready at the end of last season for a starting spot.
In some ways, Sneed is the perfect cornerback for the Chiefs and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. He’s big and fast, skilled enough to neutralize top opposing wide receivers, versatile enough to cover in the slot or on the outside. He is also a willing and sure tackler.
He fits in with the Chiefs defensively a lot like Hill did on offense while playing with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. But the Chiefs understand that these players can have value, even if they’re playing for another team.
In the short term, it would be no fun for the Chiefs to lose the 27-year-old Sneed. It wasn’t immediately a joy for them to send Hill to Miami.
The fun happened later. The Chiefs are 2-for-2 in winning Super Bowls since trading Hill and are looking at that deal now as the best thing that could have happened to them.
That’s why they can’t, and shouldn’t, be afraid of trading Sneed.