Things have not gone according to plan with Tennessee in the case of L’Jarius Sneed. The high-priced trade acquisition played just five games during his debut Titans campaign and is still not fully healthy. 
An October quad injury initially did not appear to be severe enough to keep Sneed sidelined through the remainder of the campaign. In the end, though, he landed on season-ending injure reserve. The 28-year-old has not managed to receive clearance for full participation this offseason, leading to a limited workload during spring practices.
The fall was loosely targeted as a time for Sneed to potentially be back at 100%, but in the absence of a firm timeline it is still unclear when he will next be available. The latest update on the matter – courtesy of team reporter Jim Wyatt – is not an encouraging one, however. Wyatt writes getting the former Chiefs standout back in the fold “kind of feels like [it would] be a bonus at this point.”
The Titans inked Sneed to a four-year, $76.4MM extension after a trade with Kansas City was worked out. That pact obviously brought about high expectations, but the Louisiana Tech product struggled when on the field in 2024. A return to health – and thus a starting spot in the secondary – will give him the opportunity to rebound, but Wyatt’s framing of the situation certainly suggests more time spent on the sidelines should be expected through training camp in the lead-up to the regular season.
Sneed is owed $19MM this season, and that figure is guaranteed in full. To no surprise, then, Wyatt confirms the former fourth-rounder will not be released or traded. Still, missing considerable time again in 2025 would of course be a major disappointment for team and player. It would also signal a parting of ways (or at least a notable pay cut) being likely ahead of the final two years of Sneed’s pact.
Tennessee still has Roger McCreary and Jarvis Brownlee in place as starting options at the cornerback spot. The team signed veteran Amani Oruwariye in free agency and selected Marcus Harris in the sixth round of the draft, and they will look to carve out roles during training camp and the preseason. It will be interesting to see if Sneed manages to take part in padded practices on a full-time basis or if he finds himself in position to once again miss regular season time.