The NFL preseason is always a time to look ahead and attempt to predict which players will take the next step in their careers. It is also a time to assess a roster and project who will be the next Pro Bowler to emerge.
Ken Patra from NFL.com predicted one potential Pro Bowler from each team. He came up with a surprising name for the Tennessee Titans: cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.
It is mindboggling that Sneed hasn’t received any postseason accolades. No Pro Bowl. No All-Pros. Maybe voters dislike all the penalties the physical corner collects? (Shrug emoji.) All I know is that Sneed is a bully who makes receivers work for everything. His -29.7 target EPA ranked third among corners in the NFL last season (min. 300 snaps), and his -.33 EPA/target was fourth, per NGS. Now in Tennessee after a March trade, Sneed will lead a revamped defense under new coordinator Dennard Wilson. Helping turn around a unit that was torched under the previous regime should finally bring Sneed the recognition he deserves.
The Titans made a splash this offseason by rebuilding their secondary, with Sneed being the centerpiece of the overhaul. After working out a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs, the Titans rewarded Sneed with a four-year, $76.4 million deal, including $55 million in guaranteed money and a $20 million signing bonus.
For the former 2020 fourth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech, Sneed has a contract that supports his on-field accomplishments, and now all he needs is postseason accolades to catch up. Since being drafted, he has started 57 regular season games over the past four seasons, and he’s recorded 10 interceptions, 6.5 sacks, and 40 passes defensed. The two-time Super Bowl champion is now looking to become a first-time Pro Bowler, and the Titans will benefit from his presence in the back-end of their secondary.
