Looking at the Tennessee Titans defense, things are trending in the right direction. While the team only won three games last season, it wasn’t the defense who took most of the blame.
Tennessee allowed the second fewest yards per game, only behind the Super Bowl Champions. Their pass defense performed a lot better than their run defense, with one man making a key impact even though he only played in five games.
L’Jarius Sneed Named Honorable Mention After Missing Most of the Season
The 28-year-old may not have played much in 2024, but his resume speaks for itself. Jeremy Fowler’s final poll saw L’Jarius Sneed make the list, even though he didn’t crack the Top 10. On a team that prides themselves for their pass defense, Sneed fits right in and eagerly awaits his 2025 return.
Sneed’s 2024 season was cut short due to a quad bruise. While it took place as early as Week 6, it was severe enough to shut him down. Sneed had just been traded from the Kansas City Chiefs, a team where he won two Super Bowl’s with.
Kansas City may have known it was time to move on, even though they only had the Louisiana Tech graduate for his rookie contract. Drafted No. 138 in the 2020 draft, Sneed worked his way up to 108 tackles in 2022. The cornerback made an immediate impact on the team though with three interceptions in his rookie season.
With 23 total tackles in five games last season, 19 of those were solo. For reference, Sneed played nine games in his rookie season where he recorded 31 solo tackles. While he didn’t record an interception last season, he still has 10 in his career.
Anonymous Comment on Sneed’s Trajectory
As always, these polls are conducted from NFL coaches, executives, and scouts. Every vote remains anonymous, as do the quotes that Fowler includes in the article.
Sneed’s lone comment was, “I know he had a rough year with injuries and some off-the-field stuff, but he was really good for three years [in Kansas City]. The Chiefs must have known it was a good time to walk away,” an NFL personnel evaluator said.
One poor season is not enough for the Titans to move on. They signed Sneed to a four-year, $76.4 million deal. His contract was finalized after the trade, which saw Tennessee send the Chiefs a 2025 third-round pick.
The trade came to a conclusion when the Chiefs selected Ashton Gillotte. Gillotte is a defensive end out of Louisville.
2025 is a Revenge Year for Sneed
Currently listed as questionable, it remains to be seen if the sixth-year player opens the season on the PUP list. If he does, it’s a trend in the wrong direction after he has been training at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park.
While Sneed hasn’t practiced yet this offseason, he’s doing everything he can to return to form. That’s much easier than said after a major injury, but it’s the first of Sneed’s career.
If his time on the Chiefs was any indication of what Sneed can bring to the table, the Titans didn’t make a mistake by signing him to a four-year deal.
Second-Year Titans Player Named Cornerback Honorable Mention in ESPN Top 10