The Los Angeles Rams could still use some depth at cornerback. There might not be a better starting duo in the league than Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, but the defense is one injury away from relying on Emmanuel Forbes as a starter. The Rams know from experience that such a scenario is not ideal.
After that, it's Josh Wallace, Cam Lampkin, a hope, and a prayer.
That group could get some competition from undrafted free agent signings, but there are also a few veteran free agents still out there. One such option is former Chiefs and Titans cornerback L'Jarius Sneed. Watson has already indicated his desire to have another ex-Chiefs teammate on the team, along with him and McDuffie.
But LA must be Wary. Sneed was a high-level playmaker in Kansas City. In two seasons since leaving, he has struggled to stay on the field due to injury. His performance suffered, and the Titans released him in March.
General interest in Sneed resurfaced on Tuesday, when charges were dismissed regarding his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run shooting. If the Rams do give Watson his wish, they should expect a version of Sneed closer to his Titans self than the player Watson knew in KC.
Rams wouldn't be getting peak L'Jarius Sneed
Sneed has played just 12 games over the past two seasons. Last season, Pro Football Focus graded him 104th among 114 qualified corners with an overall mark of 50.4. Since 2024, Sneed has recorded two tackles for loss, no interceptions, and three passes defensed. Not much.
Compare that to his four seasons with the Chiefs. In 57 games, Sneed accounted for 19 TFLs, 10 INTs, and 40 pass breakups. He racked up 108 tackles in 2022. He also contributed 3.5 sacks and forced three fumbles that year. Sneed started alongside McDuffie on the Super Bowl squads of 2022-2023.
He was not the same player after being traded to Tennessee. A lot of that has to do with injuries, but whether he can overcome his physical ailments is the biggest question any interested team will have to answer.
Even then, whether Sneed has enough punch left when healthy remains to be seen. The Louisiana Tech product is now 29 years old. By Week 1, he will be 30 months removed from his last productive season.
The Rams wouldn't bring in Sneed, envisioning the ballhawk of Chiefs Super Bowl rosters past. Instead, he would compete for a backup spot with Forbes and Wallace. Even after a Sneed signing, Forbes would be the rightful favorite to enter the year as CB3.
Sneed's falloff doesn't mean the Horns can't take a flyer. He could come in on a non-guaranteed contract to compete for a depth role. That might make Watson happy, but would Sneed even consider such a concession? He has started every game he's played since 2021.
Unfortunately for Sneed, he may need to temper his own expectations until he can re-establish himself as a starting-caliber player.
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