New England Patriots News & Rumors

AFC East Notes: Tua, Jets, Patriots, Miller

March 30th, 2024 at 12:49pm CST by Ben Levine

We previously heard that both the Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa were hoping for speedy negotiations on an extension. However, it sounds like the two sides are temporarily pumping the brakes on a potential deal.

Daniel Oyefusi of The Miami Herald writes that while Tagovailoa’s next contract is the most “consequential matter” in Miami, it isn’t the most pressing. A source also made it clear that an agreement isn’t imminent and there’s “no rush” to finalize a deal.

When we last heard about the impending negotiations, there was a general sentiment that neither the Dolphins nor Tagovailoa wanted the extension talks to hang over training camp, much less the regular season. The two sides could simply be delaying talks until after free agency and the draft, which would still provide an ample amount of time to negotiate before practices start.

The former first-round pick is currently slated to play the 2024 season on a $23.17MM salary via the fifth-year option. Tua is coming off a career year where he set career highs in passing yards (4,624), touchdowns (29), and completion percentage (69.3). He also managed to get into all 17 games, a significant accomplishment after he missed 14 contests through his first three years in the NFL due to injuries and concussions.

More notes out of the AFC East…

The Jets recently added Mike Williams to their receivers room, but with the former Charger coming off a torn ACL, he won’t immediately be seen on the practice field. GM Joe Douglas told reporters that Williams will not be ready for the start of training camp, but there’s optimism that he’ll be good to go for Week 1 (per SNY’s Connor Hughes). Williams himself echoed that sentiment, telling ESPN’s Adam Schefter that it’s his goal to be ready for the regular season opener.
Two more Jets injury updates, both coming on the offensive line. After being limited to five games last season thanks to an Achilles injury, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season, coach Robert Saleh told reporters (via team reporter Caroline Hendershot). Meanwhile, new addition (and old friend) Morgan Moses revealed that he played through most of last season with a torn pec, telling the team’s website that he’s looking forward “to having two arms this year.”
While the Patriots have been busy re-signing their own free agents, the new regime is making it clear that they’re not following the same formula as Bill Belichick. ESPN’s Mike Reiss points to the recent release of special teams ace Chris Board, “who was a Belichick favorite.” While the former head coach/chief decision maker used to invest in top-of-the-market deals for key ST players, Reiss notes that new head coach Jerod Mayo and de facto GM Eliot Wolf “appear less willing.” Reiss also points to defensive back Myles Bryant, who “lost a top advocate in Belichick.” After spending the past four seasons in New England, Bryant remains unsigned, and the Patriots are only willing to bring him back if his salary is reflective of a “depth player” vs. a “key cog.”
After Von Miller was arrested on a domestic violence charge, the NFL considered suspending the Bills linebacker. However, commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters (including ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler) that a suspension “was not appropriate based on the facts,” although the case remains under review by the NFL. Miller told reporters in December that the allegations were “100% false.”

AFC East Notes: Patriots, Bills, Fangio

March 29th, 2024 at 12:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Even though the Patriots re-signed Kendrick Bourne, their failed pursuit of Calvin Ridley leaves a void at receiver. Robert Kraft certainly believes the team made a viable offer but cited an interesting reason for the former first-round pick choosing the Titans.

“It was not because of finance. Clearly, his girlfriend wanted to be in the South,” Kraft said (via the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed) of Ridley, referring to the wide receiver’s wife. “We had a situation where the taxes were, like, almost 10% higher. We offered — we were willing to keep going at that premium. But he didn’t want to be in the Northeast. And part of it might be the quarterback situation as well.”

The Pats and Jaguars were believed to be battling for Ridley, but the Titans came in with a monster offer. Tennessee gave Ridley a whopping $46.98MM guaranteed at signing — third among all wide receivers. That number will jump to $50MM if he is on Tennessee’s roster on Day 5 of the 2025 league year. The Patriots have faced criticism for their free agency route, after Jerod Mayo said the team was planning to be more aggressive. Much of the Pats’ moves have involved re-signings. The Pats have a big decision to make at No. 3 overall, and trade-down rumors are emerging. If they do draft a passer third, the WR need will be glaring — unless a rumored Pats trade effort produces a deal — on Day 2 of the draft.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

Michael Onwenu joined the host of guards who received big paydays this month, but the Patriots are not planning to return him to his primary rookie-contract position. New England is planning to station Onwenu where he played much of last season. After re-signing the former sixth-round pick on a three-year, $57MM deal, the Pats are keeping him at right tackle, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Onwenu appears comfortable with this plan, per the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi. The Pats used Onwenu at guard during the 2021 and ’22 seasons, but after injury issues at right tackle last season, Bill Belichick moved him back to that position — where he spent time during his rookie campaign. While left tackle remains an issue post-Trent Brown, the Onwenu deal solidifies the team’s RT job.
Bills GM Brandon Beane does not expect Micah Hyde to retire, and despite the team having re-signed Taylor Rapp and brought Mike Edwards over from the Chiefs, Hyde could remain in the picture. Beane is not ruling out a re-signing, ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg notes. Hyde played out a third Bills contract and joins a few other accomplished safeties on the market — Justin Simmons, Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs among them. While GMs often indicate interest in re-signing a player at a lower rate exists, the Bills did follow through on this by bringing back Jordan Poyer at a lower cost (two years, $12.5MM) in 2023. Buffalo disbanded the Hyde-Poyer tandem by cutting the latter this month.
Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin has a workout scheduled with the Bills, per Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline. The No. 43 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, Franklin has four “30” visits scheduled as well. Working with first-round QB prospect Bo Nix, Franklin posted 1,383 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Franklin was sick during Combine week, Pauline adds, noting he weighed in seven pounds heavier (183) at his pro day.
Mike McDaniel confirmed the Dolphins did not have the intention of moving on from Vic Fangio after one season, but the third-year HC indicated (via ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Beasley) a few one-on-one conversations led to an understanding it would be best for the sides to part ways. Fangio quickly agreed to terms with the Eagles, which came after players heard rumblings the accomplished DC was eyeing a move back to Philadelphia during last season.
Bourne’s three-year, $19.5MM Patriots contract includes $5.5MM guaranteed, and KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets the veteran wide receiver can guarantee $2.5MM of his $5.5MM 2025 base salary by eclipsing 800 receiving yards this season. Bourne, who is coming off a torn ACL, has one 800-yard season in six years; he posted exacted 800 in 2021.

LSU WR Malik Nabers Meets With Six Teams

March 28th, 2024 at 9:50pm CST by Ben Levine

Malik Nabers has established himself as a definitive top-10 pick, and it sounds like a number of teams could be battling for the wideout’s services. According to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, Nabers met with the Patriots, Titans, Jets, and Jaguars on Tuesday afternoon before having dinner with the Giants that night. The receiver also met with the Cardinals yesterday.

While Marvin Harrison Jr. is still expected to be the first wideout off the draft board, Nabers has certainly given the Ohio State WR a run for his money in mock drafts. Known for his top-end speed and versatility, Nabers would be an easy fit in any offense, and the right offensive coordinator could get creative with how they utilize the nation’s leader in receiving yards per game (120.7).

Among the teams mentioned, the Patriots (No. 3) and Cardinals (No. 4) would be in the driver’s seat to draft the LSU product, although it’d be ambitious to select the receiver with their respective picks. If either New England or Arizona lands the prospect, it’d mostly likely come after moving back in the first round.

That would then make the Giants (No. 6) the potential favorites for Nabers. The receiver visited with the organization earlier this month, and the incoming rookie acknowledged that his most recent dinner with the team went “great.”

“Those are some funny guys to be around,” Nabers told Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “I opened up my personality to those guys. It’s not hard to talk to them. They know me personally as a player. … I heard Brian, the head coach, loves the way I play. It’s just great to be around the atmosphere with those guys again.”

If the Giants pivot to another position, the Titans could scoop the WR at No. 7, although the team has already invested heavily in the position this offseason. Despite adding Mike Williams, the Jets are also seeking more offensive firepower, and there’s little chance Nabers sneaks past them at No. 10.

The Jaguars are an intriguing inclusion. The team currently sits at No. 17, meaning they’d need to swing a trade into the top-10 in order to select the wide receiver. The team replaced Calvin Ridley with Gabe Davis, adding the former Bill to a grouping that also includes Christian Kirk and Zay Jones.

DB Cody Davis Announces Retirement

March 28th, 2024 at 3:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

Cody Davis‘ NFL career dates back to 2013, but he will not pursue a 12th season in the league. The defensive back and core special teamer announced his retirement on Thursday.

The 34-year-old entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent and he spent his first five seasons with the Rams. Davis made the only five starts of his career during his time with the franchise, but he also established his presence as a key special teams contributor along the way. He carried on in that capacity with the Jaguars in 2018 and ’19.

Davis spent his final four seasons in New England, working alongside third phase ace Matthew Slater during his Patriots run. The former played only one snap on defense over that span, but he logged 905 on special teams. Now, the team will be without both Slater and Davis for the 2024 campaign, something which will represent a notable absence for new head coach Jerod Mayo.

“I am eternally thankful for this football journey and what it has meant to me and my family,” Davis’ announcement reads in part. “For 22 years football has been what I have done, but it is not who I am… I have more dreams and look forward to chasing them!”

The Texas Tech product secured a deal averaging $2.5MM per season during his Jacksonville tenure, and he played on three separate Patriots contracts, the last two of which had an AAV over $2MM. In all, he racked up over $16MM in career earnings. Davis will hang up his cleats in lieu of pursuing a free agent deal with New England or another team, and instead turn his attention to his post-playing days.

Latest On Patriots Front Office Hierarchy, Draft Plans

March 27th, 2024 at 6:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Since moving on from Bill Belichick, the Patriots have been operating without an official GM. Eliot Wolf reportedly has final say over personnel decisions, leading many to assume that the director of scouting was New England’s de facto general manager.

As Doug Kyed and Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald pass along, Wolf will retain his current title until after the draft, at which time owner Robert Kraft will consider a potential promotion. The owner has reportedly “received positive feedback” on Wolf, making the executive the favorite to land the top front office job.

“I’m excited with what I’ve seen so far, and we’ll evaluate after the draft and see how that’s gone and decide where we go from there,” Kraft said (via the Herald).

The son of Hall of Fame executive Ron Wolf, Eliot Wolf spent more than a decade in Green Bay’s front office to begin his career. He joined the Patriots in 2020 and quickly earned a promotion to his current gig. Once the Patriots/Belichick divorce was official, Wolf participated in head coaching interviews before helping Jerod Mayo fill out his staff.

As Kyed and Callahan note, the Patriots have never had an official “general manager” since Kraft took over ownership of the organization. That was partly due to Belichick’s control over the roster, although the Patriots did employ high-ranking officials like “vice president of player personnel” and “director of player personnel.” Kraft may follow a similar route this time around, although there’s not a better time to pivot to the more traditional front office hierarchy in a post-Belichick era.

Before the organization figures out official roles for the front office, the Patriots will be focused on the draft…particularly their third-overall pick. There have been conflicting reports about the selection’s availability via trade, but it’s generally believed that New England will consider offers for the pick.

If the team does make a trade, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe says the team is still likely to select a quarterback in the draft. Moving back would surely take the Patriots out of range for a top-tier QB, but the team would still have plenty of opportunities to select someone at the position (including at their No. 34 pick).

Speaking of the top-tier quarterbacks, there were some rumblings that the Patriots weren’t enamored with UNC’s Drake Maye. However, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports that the Patriots will attend the prospect’s pro day tomorrow, and Mayo all but confirmed the team’s interest in Maye while speaking with reporters the other day.

“Drake Maye had a fantastic interview at the combine. He brings a lot of energy. You can tell he has that leadership ability,” Mayo said (via Reiss). “Also the exciting part about a guy like Drake Maye, there is really no ceiling with a guy like that. In saying that, when we’re trying to put together this roster, I know a lot of people look at the ceiling. But you also have to look at how low is the floor. I would say a guy like Drake Maye – he has a lot of room to grow. He’s a young guy. Honestly, he hasn’t played football nearly as much as these other guys. So that’s definitely something we’ve looked at, but he’s definitely going to develop.”

The Patriots have already brought in Jacoby Brissett to keep the QB seat warm, so New England is clearly intent on bringing a rookie QB along slowly. That much is known…it remains to be seen which rookie QB (and which rookie QB tier) the organization will ultimately land on.

RB Damien Harris Retires At 27

March 25th, 2024 at 8:27pm CST by Ely Allen

On Instagram today, former Patriots and Bills running back Damien Harris made the announcement that he would be retiring from the NFL. It’s a short, five-year playing career for the 27-year-old from Kentucky, but it’s one he can look back on with pride.

Harris entered the NFL after a four-year collegiate career at Alabama. After sitting behind Derrick Henry as a true freshman, Harris took over lead back duties for the Crimson Tide, rushing for 2,040 yards and 13 touchdowns over the next two years. Increased roles from Josh Jacobs and Najee Harris meant decreased production for Damien as a senior, but he still led the team in carries and yards. He left Tuscaloosa with two rings denoting national championships.

As a third-round rookie for the Patriots, Harris saw very little action behind Sony Michel, James White, and Rex Burkhead during Tom Brady‘s final season in New England. An injury to Michel and a new offense led by Cam Newton allowed Harris to take lead back duties in his sophomore season. In his third year, with a rookie Mac Jones, Harris delivered his career-defining season, rushing for 929 yards and an eye-catching 15 touchdowns, all while a rookie Rhamondre Stevenson also got his share with 606 yards and five touchdowns. A bigger role in Stevenson’s sophomore season meant a reduced role for Harris, who was hampered with a hamstring injury early in the season.

His rookie contract over, Harris signed a one-year deal with his first team’s division rival, the Bills. Buffalo brought Harris in to serve the same RB2 role he had played behind Stevenson but with James Cook now taking RB1 snaps in front of him. Unfortunately, in mid-October, Harris suffered an awkward-looking stinger that created a scene immediately reminiscent of Damar Hamlin. While Harris remained conscious, he was ruled out with a neck injury and taken to the hospital for further testing. He was placed on injured reserve and wouldn’t return for the remainder of the season.

It’s unclear whether or not this serious neck injury has anything to do with Harris’ decision to hang up his cleats. Perhaps, in the near future, Harris will disclose the reasons behind his decision, but for now, he used the text in his Instagram post, rightfully, to thank his coaches, trainers, teammates, and family. His post ends with a promising “y’all will be seeing me soon,” perhaps hinting at a future role in coaching or the like.

Patriots Investigating WR Trade Market

March 25th, 2024 at 8:53am CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots have made upgrading at the receiver position a priority this offseason, as evidenced by their pursuit of Calvin Ridley. New England finished as one of the runners-up in that case, but the team has still brought in a veteran in the form of K.J. Osborn.

In spite of that, more moves could be coming soon. Adam Caplan of Pro Football Network reports the Patriots have “looked into the trade market” at the receiver position. New England entered Monday with $50MM in cap space, the highest figure in the league. As a result, an expensive addition would be feasible if the right target and trade partner were to be found.

A few WR swaps have taken place already this offseason, with Jerry Jeudy and Keenan Allen finding new homes via that route. Tee Higgins could be on the market, as the franchise-tagged Bengal has requested a trade. Cincinnati remains intent on keeping Higgins in the fold for at least one more season, however, even though turning down a trade could open the door to a free agent departure next offseason.

Demario Douglas led the Patriots in receiving during his rookie season in 2023, and adding at least one starter at the WR spot was a reasonable goal for the team. Osborn will fit the bill, and he will join returnee Kendrick Bourne (who re-signed on a three-year deal) as a key piece of the team’s passing attack next year. The latter’s best season came in 2021 when he posted 800 receiving yards; Osborn, meanwhile, has never topped 655 yards in his career. Plenty of room therefore exists for the addition of a true No. 1 which someone like Higgins (with two 1,000-yard campaigns to his name in four years) could serve as.

Presuming the 25-year-old remains off the market, though, New England’s trade interest would likely yield another rotational or depth pass-catcher. In that event, the team’s attention would increasingly turn to a draft class which has a number of highly-touted receiving prospects. By virtue of owning the No. 3 selection, the Patriots could have the chance to draft Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers if they decline to use their pick on a quarterback. Of course, the team’s decision-making process on the that front will depend in large part on which moves are made with respect to trades or free agent signings over the coming weeks.

Falcons Were Interested In Top Defensive FAs; More On Kirk Cousins’ Decision

March 24th, 2024 at 10:34pm CST by Rory Parks

On the day before the 2024 league year opened, the Falcons agreed to a four-year, $180MM deal with former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, a deal that will pay the 35-year-old passer (36 in August) $50MM in guaranteed money. Even if Atlanta had not signed Cousins, the club was still prepared to make a major free agent splash.

Albert Breer of SI.com, in a piece that is well-worth a read for fans of the Falcons and Vikings in particular, explores in considerable detail how Cousins came to sign with Atlanta, beginning with the February 2022 meeting between the quarterback, his agent, and Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell, whom the Vikes had just hired. While most of Breer’s writing focuses on the discussions, both football and contractual, between Cousins’ camp and Vikings brass and then between Cousins’ camp and Falcons brass, he does note that Atlanta had interest in top defensive free agents Danielle Hunter — another long-time member of the Vikings — and Christian Wilkins.

Per Breer, if the Falcons had not been successful in their pursuit of Cousins or another high-priced FA signal-caller like Baker Mayfield, they would have spent their money on defense, with Hunter and Wilkins named as potential targets. Mayfield had agreed to a new contract with the Bucs while Cousins was still in limbo, so Atlanta GM Terry Fontenot spoke with the agents for Hunter and Wilkins in case he would have to address his QB position via a trade for a player like Justin Fields or via the draft. He was told that both players would fetch at least $25MM per year, which turned out to be pretty accurate. Fontenot also explored the possibility of trading up into the top-three of the draft to land a blue-chip collegiate quarterback, though the teams holding those selections (the Bears, Commanders, and Patriots) were not interested in dealing, at least not that early in the process.

Ultimately, Cousins chose to sign with the Falcons, and Atlanta subsequently bolstered his pass-catching contingent by authorizing a notable contract for wide receiver Darnell Mooney and sending displaced quarterback Desmond Ridder to the Cardinals in exchange for slot man Rondale Moore. Without a high-end QB contract on their books, it was the Vikings who pivoted to the defensive side of the ball, adding Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Blake Cashman in quick succession while bidding farewell to Hunter.

Shortly after Cousins decided to make the move to Atlanta, he said the team simply seemed more prepared than Minnesota to commit to him on a long-term basis. Indeed, Breer reports that while the Vikings did improve their offer to Cousins as negotiations went on by putting more guaranteed money on the table, it was the structure of those guarantees that swung the pendulum in the Falcons’ favor. The Vikings’ proposals always gave them the ability to part ways with Cousins in 2025 without many financial ramifications, and Cousins ultimately felt he was being viewed as a bridge to a passer that the team would select in next month’s draft.

The Falcons’ deal, on the other hand, guarantees all of Cousins’ 2025 base salary of $27.5MM, effectively tethering player and team to each other for the next two seasons. Atlanta can realistically get out of the deal in 2026, at which point Cousins’ cap number skyrockets to $57.5MM. Still, he will at least have an NFL home beyond the upcoming campaign, which was clearly a top priority for him.

Having devoted so many resources to their offense, Fontenot & Co. will have to turn their attention to the draft to address a defense that finished 24th in DVOA and 21st in sacks in 2023. To that end, the team has scheduled a predraft visit with Alabama edge defender Dallas Turner, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports. The Vikings and Bears will also visit with Turner, who could be the first defensive player off the board.

Patriots Likely To Retain No. 3 Pick; Latest On Team’s QB Situation

March 24th, 2024 at 6:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

6:57PM: It was certainly accurate to call this situation murky. After reports earlier today seemed to indicate that New England would stick with their No. 3 overall pick and perhaps explore options other than quarterback, newer reports from the first day of the NFL annual owners meetings see Mayo muddying the waters, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.

“Obviously, quarterback is definitely a priority,” Mayo told the media. “With that being said, we’re still open to any type of deals that come our way. We’re very far (into) the process, but we still have a long way to go. Definitely feel like we have time to really nail down our prospects in who we are going to go after.”

Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf echoed those sentiments, claiming that their decision will factor in how they have the available players ranked and what potential trade offers come in. The popular opinion is that New England will still aim to pursue a passer at No. 3, but if some insane trade offer comes in, the team is willing to listen.

2:11PM: It is widely assumed around the league the Bears and Commanders will use the top two selections in April’s draft on quarterbacks. The latest developments in both cases reinforce that notion, but the situation could be murkier with respect to the Patriots.

New England owns the No. 3 pick, and with Mac Jones no longer in the fold the team is need of a quarterback addition. Veteran Jacoby Brissett was brought back to potentially serve as a bridge starter, but a long-term investment under center would come as no surprise. When asked about the team’s position, though, rookie head coach Jerod Mayo cautioned the Patriots are not fully committed to using their top selection on a passer.

“It’s the priority right now,” Mayo said in an interview with NFL Network’s Steve Wyche. “But with that being said, you have to really be in love with the guy to take him at No. 3. So really all the options are still open for us.”

New England will likely be left with one member of the Caleb Williams–Jayden Daniels–Drake Maye trio if the team stays put at the third slot. The Patriots may not be sold on the latter, something which could become increasingly relevant if he finds himself as the top passer on the board with New England on the clock and interested suitors willing to move up the order. A trade out of the No. 3 position would nevertheless come as a surprise, however.

ESPN’s Dan Graziano notes confidence grew during the Combine that New England would turn down the opportunity to move back and instead use the third overall pick on a signal-caller. As detailed by Graziano’s colleague Mike Reiss, the Patriots have been among the teams heavily interested in the Pro Days of the 2024 class’ top quarterbacks, something which will continue this coming week. Signs therefore continue to point to a rookie being added, although the presence of Brissett means even a first-round selection may not start right away.

“To get him back in the building is definitely helpful for us,” Mayo said of the latter. “And honestly, look, he could absolutely be our starter this year. We’ll have to see. Like I said, we’re not dead set at taking a quarterback at No. 3, but we do feel good having a guy like Jacoby ready to go.”

New England currently owns seven picks other than No. 3, including the 34th overall selection. The team could have the chance to add a second-tier QB as a result, and with the fourth and fifth picks known to be available a bidding war could develop amongst trade-up candidates. The Patriots’ actions will be worth watching closely as the draft draws nearer.

Titans’ Trade For CB L’Jarius Sneed Falls Through; League Interest Cooling

March 22nd, 2024 at 8:13pm CST by Ely Allen

Two weeks ago, we went into some detail on the list of teams interested in trading for Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. The Titans were one of those teams, and it appears the team was all but set to trade for Kansas City’s top cornerback before one detail sank the deal. According to Nate Taylor of The Athletic, the inability of Tennessee to reach an agreement on a multi-year extension for Sneed kept the trade from going through.

The Chiefs avoided allowing Sneed to test unrestricted free agency by applying the franchise tag on him earlier this month. While every now and then, a franchise tag application can be the end of the story, keeping a key player under contract for one additional, high-paying year, often times, the tag is meant to buy time as the player continues to seek a long-term contract. With Sneed, that meant two options: seeking a long-term contract with Kansas City or getting traded to another team that may be more open to giving him the deal he desires.

The Chiefs are very familiar with the tag-and-trade maneuver. They have utilized it themselves to send Dee Ford to the 49ers while also taking advantage of it to bring Frank Clark from Seattle. Right now, it appears that Kansas City is unwilling to meet Sneed where he’s wanting to be in terms of a contract extension. As a result, they have essentially informed every team in the NFL that Sneed is available for a trade.

With the Chiefs hearing offers on Sneed, a number of teams reached out to express interest. We noted the Vikings, Colts, Titans, Patriots, Lions, Falcons, Jaguars, and Dolphins as teams looking to acquire the 27-year-old. While all these teams showed initial interest, it was never clear how many had the intentions of trading for Sneed then extending him.

Sneed has made it clear that he is seeking a three- or four-year contract with an average annual value of at least $20MM, a salary that would make him the league’s third-highest-paid cornerback. While Tennessee was ready to part ways with whatever Kansas City wanted in exchange for Sneed, the Titans were apparently not ready to hand Sneed a new contract. Without a new contract, Sneed is set to play with a one-year salary of $19.8MM on the franchise tag, with every penny counting towards his team’s cap space. This provides incentive for the Chiefs or whatever team trades for him to use a new deal to lessen his salary cap impact.

The Titans apparently pivoted from the Sneed-trade to sign cornerback Chidobe Awuzie and use the extra money to sign wide receiver Calvin Ridley. The Lions traded instead for cornerback Carlton Davis. Additionally, Taylor informs that the Patriots, Vikings, and Falcons have ceased engagements with Kansas City concerning Sneed. So who else is left to vie for his services?

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini names Indianapolis as the most likely destination for Sneed at this time. The Chiefs will be wanting at least a second-round pick for Sneed, but if they can’t reach that value, they’re going to want two picks, with one of them being a third-rounder. She identifies the Colts‘ 46th, 82nd, and 117th overall picks as the ones that could entice Kansas City. On the Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Adam Schefter disputed Russini’s opinion, claiming that “the Colts and the Chiefs haven’t had any conversations” about a trade taking place. Stephen Holder of ESPN delved deeper claiming that, after contemplating the idea of a Sneed-trade, Indianapolis instead opted to re-sign its own players, like cornerback Kenny Moore.

As for the Chiefs, the relative inactivity around Sneed could allow them to lower Sneed’s asking price on a new deal. Sneed has expressed interest in remaining with the Chiefs multiple times. He doesn’t seem too eager to give a hometown discount, as he realizes that this is likely his best opportunity to maximize on his value, but he likes the idea of a Super Bowl three-peat and enjoyed his role as the team’s shadow corner.

Kansas City is in no rush to overpay, though. They are currently ranked 28th in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com, and they are confident in their ability to identify cornerback talent through the draft. Without Sneed, the Chiefs will return Trent McDuffie, Joshua Williams, and Jaylen Watson, three players they believe to be starting-caliber.

As the draft inches closer and closer, it’s starting to seem like one of two things will need to happen: either Kansas City is going to need to lower their asking price for Sneed in order to move him, or Sneed will need to lower his asking price for a new extension. It doesn’t sound like the Chiefs are interested in keeping Sneed on the roster in 2024, but someone will need to bend in order for him to move. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, for one, expects the team to move on from Sneed before the draft.

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