There's been a lot of chatter about the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line this offseason—and yeah, it’s justified.
After Patrick Mahomes spent the Super Bowl running for his life against the Eagles’ relentless pass rush, the Chiefs knew they had to clean house up front. And boy, did they start making moves.
First came the franchise tag on right guard Trey Smith. Dude’s been on the rise, and KC wasn’t about to let him walk. They’ve got until July 15 to work out a long-term deal—or he’s rocking a one-year contract on the tag.
Then came a couple of head-turners in March.
Kansas City shipped out Joe Thuney, a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, to the Bears. Thuney was a rock for the Chiefs, but at 32 with a monster contract on the books, it was time to move on. His cap hit was about to jump from $8 mil in 2025 to $21.5 mil a year in 2026 and 2027—KC wasn’t about to eat that.
To fill that void, they cut a fat check to Jaylon Moore—two years, $30 million. He was their biggest free agent addition this offseason.
But just because Moore cashed in doesn’t mean he can put it on cruise control. That starting gig isn’t set in stone. Not even close.
Moore spent the last four years riding shotgun behind Trent Williams in San Fran. Solid backup, but not much burn—just 12 starts in four seasons. Now he’s got to prove he can handle the heat full-time in KC, and the clock's ticking.
And just to make things spicy, the Chiefs drafted Josh Simmons in the first round this year. Simmons is a straight-up mauler outta Ohio State. He’s still rehabbing from that patellar injury that ended his college season, so Moore’s got a head start—but don’t think that cushion's gonna last long.
Moore needs to treat this like an audition every day. This stretch before camp is go time. He’s got the bag, but now he’s gotta back it up.
Simmons isn’t coming to sit quietly—he’ll be gunning for that left tackle spot the second he’s cleared to play. He was drafted to become the starter eventually. The only question is when.
The bottom line is Moore can’t afford to coast. That $30 million deal’s only worth it if he holds it down on the field. He’s got three weeks to lock in, grind, and make it clear he’s more than just a stopgap. Time to earn every penny.