Report: Colts speculated as ‘team to beat’ regarding trading for Chiefs CB L’Jarius Sneed

The Colts have been quiet for far in external free agency and maybe for good reason, as they await to see if they have won the L’Jarius Sneed trade sweepstakes.

According to DraftBuzz’s Cam Marino, the Indianapolis Colts are speculated as the ‘team to beat’ regarding trading for Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed—although he currently doesn’t lack interested trade suitors:

Aside from re-signing their own players, the Colts have been largely quiet in free agency, aside from adding rotational defensive tackle Raekwon Davis to a 2-year, $14 million deal.

The Colts have already been reported to be interested in Sneed, who currently has the cornerback franchise tag of $19.8 million applied to him by the Chiefs. Due to salary cap constraints, the Chiefs may have to move him this offseason.

The 2x Super Bowl Champion Sneed is coming off a standout season for the Chiefs’ title winning defense, in which he recorded 78 tackles (60 solo), 5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 14 passes defensed, and a fumble recovery during 16 starts.

Per PFF (subscription), Sneed was their 30th best cornerback with a +72.5 overall grade—including a +73.8 coverage grade.

While Sneed isn’t quite a ‘shutdown #1 cornerback,’ he’s fast, athletic, and very sticky in coverage and plays the type of aggressive, physical attacking style that the Colts covet from their cornerbacks. He’d be an ideal outside pairing on the other side of 2nd-year JuJu Brents.

The Chiefs appear to be holding out hope for a ‘Day 2’ draft pick for Sneed, but it’ll be interesting to see whether they ultimately get it for the talented cornerback—including potentially even from the Colts.