Chiefs rookie cornerback L’Jarius Sneed has broken collarbone, source says
The rapid development of the Chiefs’ rookie class has been an undercurrent in their 3-0 start. But it took a hit Monday.
Rookie cornerback L’Jarius Sneed broke his collarbone against the Ravens, a source told The Star.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Sneed would have the injury “fixed,” implying an operation is forthcoming. The team placed him on injured reserve, ensuring he misses a minimum of three weeks, and elevated linebacker Darius Harris in his place.
In relation to the timeline for recovery, Reid added, “We’ll just see how that works for him as far as the time away and all.”
Sneed is certainly out for Week 4 against New England and will miss multiple weeks, possibly even months, with the injury. The severity depends on the nature of the break and exactly where the bone is broken, both items which the Chiefs did not divulge.
Some recoveries from broken collarbones can take as few as 5-6 weeks, while others require absences stretching 2-3 months without football.
Sneed suffered the injury when he landed on his shoulder as he dived for an interception during the Chiefs’ 34-20 win in Baltimore. On a night in which the secondary welcomed one player back — cornerback Charvarius Ward — they lost a player who has come on perhaps more quickly that anticipated.
“Listen, he’s been solid for us,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said last week, before the injury occurred. “He’s a worker. For a guy as young as he is and not really playing big-time college football, he certainly has shown that he has what I call pro attributes. In other words, he acts like a pro. He studies. He certainly doesn’t look and function like a rookie right now.”
It’s a blow to a secondary that will play one more game without the suspended Bashaud Breeland. Charvarius Ward returned from a hand injury Monday, though he is wearing a cast to protect it. Ward sat idle for most of Monday’s game before Sneed’s departure necessitated his entry.
The Chiefs drafted Sneed in the fourth round in April out of Louisiana Tech. He played both safety and cornerback there, but the Chiefs viewed him as a primarily a corner. The decision became permanent when Breeland received a four-game suspension that expires Monday, after the game against New England.
The transition to Conference USA to the NFL has been smoother than expected. Sneed intercepted passes in each of his first two career games. He has 10 tackles and three passes defended.
While matched up one-on-one with receivers, Sneed has allowed only seven receptions in three games, all of which he has started. He played in at least 93% of the defensive snaps in the initial two weeks before the injury cut short his time Monday.
This story was originally published September 30, 2020 at 8:04 AM.