Okay, so here’s the scene. The moment Joe Thuney was traded to the Chicago Bears—the Chiefs kingdom was like, are you crazy? How can you trade away your best offensive lineman after the stability he brought to the Chiefs O-line out of position? And his replacement? 49ers cast off Jaylon Moore, who wasn’t even an outright starter. With a chip on his shoulder to prove himself as a worthy Chiefs starter, Moore is carrying the confidence of “I’m ready to prove everyone wrong.” At least, that’s what his first comments say since signing with the Chiefs a few days back.
Inking a 2-year, $30M contract, Moore isn’t beating around the bush about his readiness to be a starter from the get-go. “The tape doesn’t lie. I know it’s a small sample size. But I mean. I just go out there and play..I know how..They see something in me. So, I’m excited to go b—- to the walls for these guys.” See, the tape here in question only consists of 12 starts in 4 years with the 49ers. Among those 12, 5 came last season when 11-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams was sidelined with an ankle injury.
So, when asked to step up in place of Williams, Moore did it admirably, to say the least. He yielded just nine pressures and one sack across 144 pass-blocking attempts. You know what made those numbers even more incredible? Moore did it against the likes of Rashan Gary, Greg Rousseau and last year’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Jared Verse. Seeing what he had done in the limited time he got to start as a 49er. The Chiefs went ahead and snapped him up through free agency. And he is most likely going to start in place of Joe Thuney.
New #Chiefs LT Jaylon Moore on his readiness to be a starter: “The tape doesn’t lie. I know it’s a small sample size. . . They see something in me. I’m excited to go balls to the wall for these guys.”
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) March 20, 2025
I mean, the Chiefs do need someone like Moore in their O-line after they allowed 36 sacks on Patrick Mahomes (most in his career). And you know what made that number even more embarrassing? All 36 of those sacks came through the Chiefs tackles. Surely, the Chiefs won’t be passing on the opportunity to start someone who learned from the very best in the Bay Area.
Speaking about Williams’ impact as a mentor, Moore couldn’t praise him high enough. “It was everything I could have imagined. You kind of sit in the film room every day and to me. I kind of set a standard for myself and with that being a standard every day, day in and day out,” Moore shared. Actually, Moore isn’t the only one confident about his capabilities as a member of Patrick Mahomes O-line. His former 49ers teammate and now Chiefs mate, RB Elijah Mitchell, also knows what Jaylon will bring to Kansas City.
49ers ousted RB Elijah Mitchell gave the Chiefs Kingdom a teaser of what to expect from Jaylon Moore
You know what’s funny? The Chiefs’ two new signings from free agency are not only from the same team but also the same draft class. Here’s the thing: Jaylon Moore was selected by the Niners in the 5th round of the 2021 NFL draft. Then, Elijah Mitchell was picked in the 6th round to start his NFL career. And astonishingly, that isn’t the only identical thing they share. Both of them were with the 49ers for 4 years. Each started 12 games and now follows each other to Kansas City. Talk about brotherhood.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes talks to head coach Andy Reid before the start of Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, February 11, 2024. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY SBP20240211706 JONxSOOHOO
So, obviously, when Mitchell was asked what to expect from Moore as a starting LT in Kansas City. Elijah had nothing but strong praise for him, “Man, that’s my boy, bruh. Like we came in together. Since day one, we clicked. But, man, Jaylon Moore, he brings a lot, even though he was behind one of the best tackles in the league (Trent Williams). Jaylon is definitely a sleeper. And Patrick Mahomes is going to love what Jaylon brings to it.” Anyone but Kingsley Suamataia and Wanya Morris would definitely bring a smile to Mahomes’ face come 2025.
The way those two underperformed left Mahomes exposed in his blind side. So, the hope from Moore will be. He hits the ground running from game 1. If not, then the Chiefs will be yet again pulled into questions of failing to protect Mahomes. Leave Mahomes exposed—and you can say goodbyes to a 4th consecutive Super Bowl run. Toodles!!!
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