The Kansas City Chiefs became the first repeat Super Bowl winners in two decades in large part thanks to one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Unfortunately for Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, Kansas City’s defense could reportedly be on the verge of losing one of its best players.

Kansas City’s pass defense dominated opponents since the second half of the 2022 season, thanks to a strong pass rush led by All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones and strong play in the secondary by cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and L’Jarius Sneed.

Kansas City Chiefs cap space 2024: $15.222 million

All three players are viewed as integral parts of Kansas City’s defensive success, with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo insistent on the club keeping its core together.

However, with the rising NFL salary cap and teams desperate for impact defenders in a pass-happy league, it appears Spagnuolo will lose one of his top guys this offseason.

Previewing the Chiefs’ offseason, ESPN’s Dan Graziano explained why the Chiefs may ‘not want’ to sign Sneed to a top-of-the-market contract.

In fact, the NFL insider noted that Kansas City has been preparing for Sneed’s departure in recent years and could be prepared to just let him walk.

One issue for Kansas City is the franchise tag. Because of the contract incentives Jones earned this past season, using the tag on him would cost more than $30 million guaranteed.

It makes a long-term deal for Jones more likely, but it becomes much harder to negotiate that and appease Sneed with a multi-year contract.

The cost of the NFL franchise tag for cornerbacks is also higher than expected. With the 2024 NFL salary cap exploding in 2024, placing the tag on Sneed would cost Kansas City $19.802 million fully guaranteed.

While he played outstanding in coverage this past season, the cost may prohibit the Chiefs from retaining both stars.

Multiple teams have already been linked to Sneed in NFL free agency and there is expected to be a bidding war for the No. 1 cornerback if he hits the open market.

In the event he leaves Kansas City, the Chiefs would likely receive a third-round compensatory pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and then need to find a No. 2 cornerback to start opposite of McDuffie.