The Kansas City Chiefs have gotten rid of one of their three best defensive players, not because they wanted to, but because they had to deal with their cap situation.
On Friday night, the Chiefs traded one of the best cornerbacks in the league to the Tennessee Titans, a team that has spent more than their share of money this offseason.
The details of the trade have come out, and it appears that Sneed will sign a four-year deal worth $76 million with $55 million guaranteed. The Chiefs are receiving a 2025 third-round pick and a 2024 seventh-round pick. The trade also saves the Chiefs around $20 million in cap space, where they previously had only $8 million, according to Spotrac.
When you think of the Chiefs' cap situation, it was a little dicey, but still somewhat is. When you win as much as the Chiefs have, and you do it with young players that you drafted and developed, you eventually have to pay the price, literally. They will have to decide who to pay next season as well and could be in a similar situation with having to choose between Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, and Nick Bolton.
But for now, they have decisions to make with the extra cap space they were just awarded after sacrificing a homegrown player like Sneed. With $20 million in cap space, the Chiefs have positions to fill that were much bigger positions of need than bringing back Sneed. One of those is edge rushers, in which they can get someone who knows the defensive system and happens to be right in front of their face.
Chiefs need to re-sign Mike Danna
The Chiefs are looking very closely at the edge rusher position to start the season, especially when you factor in that Charles Omenihu could miss time since he tore his ACL in the playoffs. As things currently stand, the Chiefs have one competent edge rusher ready to start Week 1.
Right now, they have George Karlaftis, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Malik Herring, and B.J. Thompson/Truman Jones as their four main edge rushers. Karlaftis is the only one who has played enough to be competent. Now, is that saying that the 2023 first-round pick, FAU, can't be good? Of course, he can; he just hasn't played much yet.
The Chiefs need to go and get Danna unless they go after someone else. However, Danna may be the best option, all things considered. Danna was very good last year. He already knows the defensive system, so they wouldn't have to bring someone else in and teach them Steve Spagnuolo's system. The soon-to-be fifth-year edge rusher finished 2023 with 6.5 sacks, which is 1.5 better than the year before, and he has improved that number every single season.
Danna is only getting better, and if the Chiefs don't bring him back soon, it won't take long for another team to realize they can get a great pass rusher who plays the run game well, too.
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