The Kansas City Chiefs are high on familiarity.
While that isn’t an uncommon thing in the NFL, the Chiefs seem to bring players back that have previously played for them at a higher rate than most teams. The most recent example of that is when they re-signed cornerback L’Jarius Sneed during the offseason.
Kansas City Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo Won’t Shy Away From Utilizing L’Jarius Sneed to the Fullest
Sneed made an instant impact for the Chiefs during their Week 1 win over the Denver Broncos, recording a team-high eight tackles while playing 90 percent of the defensive snaps.
However, he struggled in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts, allowing several completions. While speaking to the media on Thursday, Spagnuolo said the positives Sneed provides to the defense is worth his inconsistencies.
“He’s my guy,” Spagnuolo said. “He fights through the whole week only getting a certain amount of reps because we want to be careful with his health. He brings an element to our defense that every coordinator likes. He’s a nasty tough guy that plays hard and fast. Because I know he’s out there, I put those guys in situations that I trust he’s going to get it done. He’ll tell you that he’s a little disappointed in his performance, but that doesn’t deter me away from being confident in what he can do.”
L’Jarius Sneed Will Be More Effective When Chiefs’ Secondary Gets Healthy
Sneed is probably playing more than Kansas City envisioned because of the injuries to cornerback Mansoor Delane and safety Chamarri Conner. When those two guys return, which should be soon, that will give Spagnuolo more versatility on how to utilize his secondary.
As Spagnuolo mentioned, Sneed brings more positives to the table than negatives — starting with veteran leadership in a young Chiefs cornerback corps. He also knows the ins and outs of Spagnuolo’s system, and can lineup anywhere on the field and produce.
Sneed brings an attitude and mean streak that Kansas City’s defense thrives off of. With Delane and Conner back in the fold, Spagnuolo can keep Sneed fresh and plug him in at nickel, on the outside boundary, and even at safety.
‘He’s my guy’ — Steve Spagnuolo Remains Confident in Aging Veteran