He’s not the costliest cornerback within the NFL. He’s the second-most expensive.
L’Jarius Sneed’s wage cap hit for the Tennessee Titans in 2025 is about $22.5 million, according to Spotrac. Solely Cleveland’s Denzel Ward ranks larger amongst cornerbacks. Solely 44 NFL players, interval, carry the next 2025 cap hit than Sneed, who’s three spots shy of the Browns’ Myles Garrett and one forward of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Vita Vea.
That’s some huge cash for the Titans to pay a soccer participant who doesn’t play soccer.
Oh certain, Sneed remains to be part of the Titans. I’ve seen him on the sidelines throughout practices or doing solo workouts on a aspect area. He’s nonetheless round. Nonetheless within the dialog. Nonetheless within the workforce’s hopes. We simply don’t know when Sneed is definitely going to play once more for the Titans.
Practically two months after he confidently instructed an NBC affiliate in Shreveport, Louisiana that he’s “as wholesome as I’ve been” and “able to get again on the sphere,” Sneed nonetheless — mysteriously as ever — isn’t both of these two issues.
If the Titans have been enlightened about an anticipated return date for Sneed, they aren’t sharing.
“I haven’t got any definitive timelines that I can pin that to,” mentioned Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan, who on Aug. 19 left open the chance that Sneed may very well be again working towards in as little as a number of days whereas on the identical time answering “we’ll see” to the query of whether or not he’d be prepared for Week 1 in Denver.
So Sneed may very well be again quickly? Or perhaps in no way?
You catch all that? No?
One thing feels off with this example, and it has felt off for a while. As a result of the solutions are likely to all the time be this dodgy in the case of Sneed.
There’s by no means clear, dependable data from him or from anybody else about his standing. Solely hazy, vague responses about his “getting closer.”
Sneed is endlessly getting nearer to full well being, and but, by no means will get there. He is not working towards, and in equity, he by no means actually did observe.
He was too good to really feel the necessity to observe final coaching camp. The Titans allowed him to relaxation his bizarrely continual knee damage that he introduced over from Kansas Metropolis (in return for a third-round pick). Didn’t maintain him out of video games, although, till he suffered a weird quad damage in Week 5 that one way or the other turned extreme (per the workforce), ending Sneed’s season. After which there was Sneed’s alleged involvement in a weird shootout at a car dealership close to Dallas final December whereas his teammates in Nashville have been making ready for a divisional sport.
Not one of the above has been adequately defined by Sneed or the Titans.
We wouldn’t even know that Sneed has been recovering from an offseason knee surgical procedure had common supervisor Mike Borgonzi not let it slip during a press conference earlier than coaching camp. However even that restoration should not be taking this lengthy.
One of many quickest methods to fall into the NFL’s basement, the place the Titans presently reside, is to squander a small fortune and an excessive amount of cap area on an anticipated star participant who offers the franchise subsequent to nothing in return. The Sneed commerce and contract is not the lone purpose the Titans’ fortunes have plummetted, however he certain hasn’t helped. And he nonetheless is not serving to.
The Titans are caught within the unlucky place of getting to rely closely on the one participant who, greenback for greenback, is probably the most unreliable participant on their workforce and perhaps your complete NFL. And the longer Sneed stays absent for unexplained causes, the extra you query his urgency and his dedication to the sport and this franchise.
Distinction Sneed’s restoration with, say, Lloyd Cushenberry. The Titans’ heart tore his Achilles final season in Week 9, a few month after Sneed’s “quad damage.” But Cushenberry recently returned to practice, an instance of what it appears to be like like when a participant’s diligent rehabilitation proves that he’s critical about rejoining teammates on the sphere for Week 1.
Rookie Kevin Winston Jr., tore his ACL at Penn State final season, and whereas he has been sidelined of late, Winston was on the sphere impressing earlier this training camp.
If these gamers can return from such critical accidents, why cannot Sneed?
Callahan: “I will chorus from any definitive statements on it for the second, however I am hopeful that (a return) occurs quickly (with Sneed).”
Sigh.
Solely consider it while you see Sneed on the market once more.
About that Ward-Simmons altercation
OK, I really feel compelled to weigh in on the Aug. 18 practice dust-up between Titans quarterback Cam Ward and defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, although I didn’t care all that a lot when it occurred.
Solely factor that bothered me was the damage threat of Simmons placing his arms on the franchise QB (nothing good comes of that). Ward additionally shouldn’t be on the market poking the largest, baddest dude on the workforce, both.
However here is the deal: The Titans have been 3-14 final season. They’ve had onlookers bemoaning a scarcity of vitality in practices this coaching camp, and the Falcons punked them totally throughout a lopsided first day of joint practices final week.
Just a little scrap? About time, I’d say.
Attain Tennessean sports activities columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and hang around with him on Bluesky @gentryestes.bsky.social
