L’Jarius Sneed was one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL and a key piece for the Kansas City Chiefs back-to-back championship. Because of this, the team did not want to risk losing the star defensive back and decided to label him as a non-exclusive franchise player.

The Louisiana Tech product had the second-best year of his career, posting 60 tackles, 18 assists, and 78 combined tackles. He defended 14 passes and intercepted two, with four yards gained on interception returns. Sneed was a key player in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme in the 2023 campaign.

Sneed was in the last season of the four-year $3.9 million contract he signed as a rookie. Although it had not been officially announced that there were negotiations between both parties, the team had already warned that if an agreement was not reached, they would use their non-exclusive franchise tag on the cornerback.

What does the tag mean to L’Jarius?

A non-exclusive tag allows the player to listen to offers from other teams. However, the Chiefs will have the right to match any offer the player receives. If Kansas City decides not to match the offer, it will be entitled to receive the equivalent of two first-round draft picks from the offering team as compensation.

On the contrary, if Sneed plays the 2024 season for the Chiefs with the tag, he will be entitled to receive the average of the five best salaries at his position or, failing that, he will be able to get an increase of 120% of his previous salary, whichever is greater.

The projected franchise tag value for a cornerback in 2024 is $19.802 million. The label allows both parties to negotiate a long-term agreement.