Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed has been cleared of any wrongdoing or involvement after his vehicle was shot at in Louisiana on Friday.

According to TMZ Sports, police in Minden, Louisiana, said Sneed's Ford Bronco was hit by multiple bullets, although Sneed was not in the vehicle at the time of the shooting.

Sneed's agent, Saffarah Lawson, released the following statement regarding the shooting, noting that Sneed was questioned, but never arrested:

Sources told TMZ that two of Sneed's friends were driving the vehicle at the time of the shooting, and the belief is that it was a random act of violence.

Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, a Chiefs spokesperson said the organization was aware of the situation and would not make any further comments presently.

The 25-year-old Sneed is a Minden native who played his college football at Louisiana Tech before being selected by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft.

It didn't take Sneed long to become an important part of Kansas City's secondary, as he started six of the nine games he appeared in as a rookie and finished with 41 tackles, three interceptions and two sacks.

Last season, Sneed started all 15 games he played and recorded 76 tackles, two picks and one sack.

The secondary is considered something of a weak link for the Chiefs, which led to them selecting cornerback Trent McDuffie in the first round and safety Bryan Cook in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Given that the Chiefs are set to rely on some young and inexperienced defensive backs in 2022, Sneed figures to be a hugely integral piece, given that he has been a starter for parts of two seasons.

With regard to the shooting, a spokesperson for the Minden police said an investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made.

The Kansas City Chiefs want Orlando Brown protecting star quarterback Patrick Mahomes for years to come, and the franchise is said to be "optimistic" about working out a long-term contract for the veteran offensive tackle, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. 

However, Fowler notes it could take some time for the sides to agree to terms because Brown does not have an agent.

That said, this process wasn't expected to go by quickly. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told reporters in April before the draft that there was "no rush on either side" to hammer out a deal. 

Brown is slated to play 2022 a one-year, $16.7 million deal after being franchise tagged. It's unclear how much money he's looking for on his next contract. San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams and Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari are the NFL's highest-paid offensive tackles, making $23 million per year, according to Spotrac. 

The Chiefs acquired Brown in a deal with the Baltimore Ravens ahead of the 2021 campaign, parting ways with their first-, third- and fourth-round picks in the 2021 draft and a fifth-rounder in 2022 as part of the deal.

Brown started 16 games last season and was a key piece along Kansas City's offensive line, which includes Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith and Andrew Wylie. If the Chiefs are unable to lock up Brown to a long-term deal, they'll have a significant hole at left tackle after the 2022 campaign. 

Considering the Chiefs already lost two major playmakers this offseason in wideout Tyreek Hill and safety Tyrann Mathieu, losing Brown after the 2022 season wouldn't be ideal for a franchise that has hopes of winning another Super Bowl in the near future. 

Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady will square off for the sixth time in their careers in Week 4 of the 2022 NFL season. 

The NFL announced Thursday that the Kansas City Chiefs will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Week 4 on Sunday Night Football. 

In anticipation of the full schedule being released Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, the NFL has been giving fans a taste of what to expect. The league has announced 11 games, including the Chiefs-Bucs matchup. 

Other notable games that have been announced include the Chiefs hosting the Los Angeles Chargers in the first Thursday night game on Amazon Prime, as well as two Monday night games in Week 2 featuring the Tennessee Titans vs. Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings vs. Philadelphia Eagles. 

The latter game will mark the first Monday night game on ABC since the 2005 season. 

Several other games have been reported, but the league has not confirmed them. 

Brady is 3-2 against Mahomes. Their most recent meeting came in Super Bowl LV as the Bucs defeated the Chiefs 31-9 in arguably the worst game of Mahomes' career. He finished 26-of-49 for 270 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. 

Tampa Bay's defense sacked Mahomes three times and hit him nine times. It's one of only two games in his career in which he's thrown multiple interceptions without a touchdown pass. 

Their first two meetings came during the 2018 season when Brady was still with the New England Patriots and Mahomes was in his first year as Kansas City's starting quarterback. 

The Patriots beat the Chiefs 43-40 in Week 6. The game featured three lead changes in the fourth quarter. Mahomes' 75-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill with 3:03 remaining tied the score at 40. Brady drove the Patriots down the field in six plays to set up Stephen Gostkowski's 28-yard game-winning field goal as time expired. 

In the rematch in the AFC Championship Game, the two teams combined to score 24 points in the final 3:32 of regulation to send the game to overtime.

The Patriots won the coin toss to start overtime and put together a 13-play drive, capped off by Rex Burkhead's two-yard touchdown run for a 37-31 win. They went on to defeat the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII for Brady's sixth title with New England. 

Mahomes and the Chiefs won their next two games against Brady. They defeated the Patriots, 23-16, in Week 14 of the 2019 season. 

Kansas City held on for a 27-24 win over the Buccaneers in Week 12 of the 2020 season. Mahomes threw for 462 yards and three touchdowns in the game. It was the final loss of the year for Brady and Tampa Bay. 

The Bucs came out of their bye the following week and went on an eight-game winning streak, capped off by the Super Bowl victory over Kansas City. 

This season's Chiefs-Bucs game will be played Oct. 2.     

The Kansas City Chiefs landed one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2022 NFL draft without using a pick on him.

After watching Justyn Ross go unselected in any of the seven rounds, Kansas City capitalized on the Clemson wideout's surprise availability by signing him as a free agent Monday.

Boardroom's Jordan Schultz reported the deal, noting that Ross only went undrafted because of his medical history.

It's understandable that teams were leery about spending draft capital on Ross after he suffered several major injuries during his collegiate career. Nothing was more concerning than the rare spinal condition that was revealed after he took a hit in spring practice leading up to the 2020 campaign.

Ross missed that entire season and was told he may never play football again. 

But the wideout returned in 2021 and appeared in 10 contests while nursing a stress fracture in his left foot that eventually cost him the Tigers' final three games. He posted respectable numbers—leading the program with 46 catches and 514 receiving yards—but didn't appear to be the same game-breaking player who racked up 112 catches for 1,865 yards and 17 touchdowns across his first two years with the program.

A concerning pro day performance didn't help Ross' draft stock either. He couldn't participate in all the available drills and ran a slow 4.64-second 40-yard dash and posted a vertical of 31.5 inches in the ones he did test in—numbers that aren't indicative of the athleticism he displayed during his earlier years at Clemson.

Despite all this, the Chiefs are still getting a prospect with massive potential.

The Bleacher Report Scouting Department graded the 22-year-old at a 7.9, a score generally reserved for late-first- to second-round draft picks with a great shot at starting as rookies. He was the No. 8 wideout and No. 36 overall prospect on their final big board and their top remaining wideout going into Day 2 of the draft.

No other prospect with a grade in the same stratosphere slipped out of the draft entirely. 

Ross' build—he stands 6'4" and tips the scales at 205 pounds—athleticism, strength, route-running skills, catching ability and competitiveness are all reasons he could become one of the top wideouts in a loaded class, per the B/R Scouting Department.

While Ross isn't a perfect prospect—he's almost exclusively an outside receiver and lacks experience with complex routes in addition to his injury concerns—he was one of the best X wideouts on the board going into the draft.

Although going unselected can be a dubious distinction reserved for heavily flawed players or those with major character concerns, Ross may end up greatly benefiting from this situation. It has allowed him to start his NFL career in an ideal spot, one he likely was able to choose out of several offers given his status as a marquee UDFA target.

Ross did his best work at Clemson with Trevor Lawrence as his quarterback and could see similar results while running routes for Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City. The Chiefs have ranked among the top five passing offenses in all four of Mahomes' seasons as a starter, including in 2018 when he threw for a league-best 50 touchdowns and earned NFL MVP honors.

While Mahomes is coming off a relatively down year—his 13 interceptions were a career high and his five regular-season losses were the most he's suffered as a pro—he still lit up opposing defenses for over 4,700 passing yards for the second straight season.

This is the perfect time for Ross to get onboarded. The Chiefs are crafting a new offensive identity after trading star receiver Tyreek Hill earlier in the offseason. They also let Byron Pringle and Demarcus Robinson walk in free agency, leaving Mecole Hardman as Kansas City's only notable wideout returning for the 2022 season.

Although Hill's loss will sting—it will never be easy to move on from one of just four receivers to post at least 450 receptions, 6,500 receiving yards and 55 touchdowns over their first six seasons—the addition of Ross should help ease the blow and get the Chiefs back on track.

The organization has left no stone unturned in its search to replace the superstar wideout, coming to terms with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency, retaining Josh Gordon after beginning the process of integrating the mercurial veteran last season and drafting Skyy Moore in the second round.

Adding Ross is the cherry on top, a move that carries almost no risk while providing Kansas City with a potential superstar at a bargain-bin price.

Even if Ross takes time to get up to speed, the Chiefs have the depth to remain competitive offensively while bringing him along. 

Tight end Travis Kelce is still one of the league's most dangerous pass-catchers, and the backfield received a boost with the addition of Ronald Jones II to complement incumbent starter Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Those assets, coupled with a surprisingly deep receiving corps that could heavily feature Ross—assuming he can stay healthy and return to form—make the Chiefs as dangerous as ever.

According to SI.com's Wilton Jackson, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach confirmed Tuesday that team doctors have medically cleared the receiver to play. It is a big step toward Ross' goal of becoming the first known player to make the NFL with a congenital fusion in his spine.

He will compete against 16 other Chiefs wideouts for a roster spot this offseason. His place in the lineup is far from secure, but Ross has more than enough talent to earn a prominent role within the Kansas City offense when he's at his best. 

The team is already one of the favorites to represent the conference in the Super Bowl and will only see a boost if Ross lives up to his potential.

The New Orleans Saints failed to select a safety in the 2022 NFL draft, and now it appears they're turning their attention to one of the best available at the position on the free-agent market. 

The Saints are reportedly expected to "make an aggressive push" to sign Tyrann Mathieu, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, who noted the three-time Pro Bowler was "born and raised" in New Orleans.

Before we get into specifics on Mathieu, here's a quick look at New Orleans' 2022 draft class:

• No. 11: Chris Olave, wide receiver
• No. 19: Trevor Penning, offensive tackle
• No. 49: Alontae Taylor, cornerback
• No. 161: D'Marco Jackson, linebacker
• No. 194: Jordan Jackson, defensive tackle

After losing Marcus Williams to the Baltimore Ravens in free agency, and losing Malcolm Jenkins to retirement, the Saints could use another safety.

The team's current depth chart at the position includes Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Marcus Maye, Daniel Sorensen, P.J. Williams, Justin Evans and J.T. Gray. Mathieu would represent an upgrade over all of those players and has the flexibility to play either free safety or strong safety. 

Mathieu spent the last three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, earning two All-Pro and two Pro Bowl selections. During the 2021 season, he recorded three interceptions, six passes defended, one sack, three fumble recoveries and 76 tackles. 

The LSU product initially visited the Saints on April 5 and noted he would love to be given the opportunity to play in New Orleans in front of his family and friends. 

"First and foremost, it's a great opportunity with Dennis Allen stepping into that lead position," Mathieu said after the visit, according to Wilson Alexander of The Advocate. "He's a great defensive mind. I have a lot of respect for Mrs. Benson and the kind of things she does through the community. 

"It's a team I grew up watching," he added. "Anytime I get to play in front of family and friends, it obviously gives me more energy. It would be a great opportunity if that was to come."

Mathieu, who noted he has good relationships with Saints defenders Cam Jordan and Marshon Lattimore, also downplayed his chances of signing with the Saints, telling Alexander, "I don't think they really need me, but it would be good to go back home and help them win."

Mathieu also said at the time that he's not looking to be the highest-paid safety in his third free-agency cycle, adding that he wants his family "to be comfortable." That said, heading to New Orleans makes a lot of sense for the Honey Badger. 

HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 197

HAND: 9 5/8"

ARM: 32 1/4"

WINGSPAN: 6'4 1/2"

40-YARD DASH: 4.51

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: DNP

BROAD: DNP

POSITIVES

— Good length and frame for the position. Could possibly have room to add more.

— Long strider that can cover ground. Good straight-line speed when he is able to open up and run.

— Calm with the ball in the air. Able to play through the catch point, even with his back to the ball.

— Shows good physicality in the run game. Reacts quickly and throws body into tackles.

NEGATIVES

— Strength issues can show up at times. Can have difficulty with blocks, while also occasionally getting knocked off routes downfield.

— Lacks flexibility in his hips and midsection. He struggles to sink his hips or flip his hips, allowing receivers to gain a step on him.

— Below-average ball skills. Can get spun around and be slow locating the ball at times.

2021 STATISTICS

12 Games, 31 Tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INT, 3 PBU, 4 FR

NOTES

— Senior Bowl invite

— 2020 All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention

OVERALL

Jaylen Watson, whose size and length is obvious on film, was listed at 6'3”, 204 pounds on the Washington State website. While coming in at 6'2", 197 pounds during the NFL Combine, he still has very good length for the position.

Throughout this past season, he has shown the play in multiple coverages. When in press man, he looks to clamp on to receivers, not allowing them into their routes and allowing himself time to get in phase. His tightness shows up when changing direction at the line of scrimmage, allowing shiftier receivers free releases—especially on slants and in-breaking routes.

A taller athlete, Watson does have trouble sinking his hips and getting out of breaks. A corner who plays open, he does a good job of staying on top of routes and getting in phase downfield. Poor eyes and below-average change of direction can open him up to double moves.

A very active player in the run game, Watson triggers fast and with intent to make a play. He uses his quickness to beat clocks and length to disengage. Occasionally, he can struggle with bigger blockers because of his lack of strength. A wrap tackler, he shoots the legs and wrestles ball carriers to the ground. There are times where he shoestrings tackles—in which some at the next level may step out of. An opportunistic player, he looks to capitalize on turnovers anyway he can.

Ultimately, Watson needs to clean up the consistency of his play. With his frame and skill set, If cornerback doesn't work out he is a potential candidate to move to safety at the next level. His ability to cover ground and aggressiveness in the run game allow him to have a chance.

GRADE: 5.9 (6th Round: Backup/Draftable)

OVERALL RANK: 235

POSITION RANK: CB28

PRO COMPARISON: Trill Williams

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings