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Kansas City Chiefs Insider Concerned About $30 Million Player
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- Kansas City Chiefs Insider Concerned About $30 Million Player
After surprisingly missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014, the Kansas City Chiefs knew they had to make some changes this offseason. General manager Brett Veach has done just that, trading previous starters, while signing and drafting new ones to replace them. Along the way, Veach has tried not only to strengthen the team's starting lineup but also to boost its depth.
In doing so, the Chiefs hope they've improved enough to get back to the postseason, and Patrick Mahomes ' eventual expected recovery from last season's ACL tear will be a crucial factor. While Veach is never done molding the roster, now it's up to head coach Andy Reid and the rest of his coaching staff to get the most out of the players on hand.
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Recently, coach Reid suggested that the Chiefs will surprisingly have a battle for the starting right tackle job, which was expected to belong to Jaylon Moore. The Chiefs signed Moore to a two-year, $30 million contract in free agency last offseason, and he has a $18.7 million cap hit for 2026.
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Even the mere idea that Moore is competing for not only just the starting role, but possibly even his roster spot at that cap number, is a notable development. After all, it's not like the Chiefs drafted his replacement. If anything, the Chiefs recently weakened their depth by trading Wanya Morris to the Atlanta Falcons .
In fact, The Athletic 's Chiefs insider Jesse Newell believes that Moore fighting for the starting spot rather than having the job secured is "cause for concern."
"It's a much more real battle than I expected. Two months ago, I would've told you that Moore was a shoo-in for the starting right tackle spot. It's difficult for coaches to hide how they feel about players during open practices, though, and it's clear from being out there that the Chiefs are giving long looks to second-year player Esa Pole and rookie Kahlil Benson. This has to be considered a surprise. I think Moore not immediately winning this job is at least cause for concern, casting some doubt on whether the Chiefs believe in him."
As Newell noted later in his article, Moore's 2026 cap hit ranks seventh among NFL right tackles. That's not a rate that a backup or someone fighting for a starting job usually gets paid. If Moore is not able to secure the starting job, we can't imagine he'll be sticking around in Kansas City for very long, not at that price.
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Benson joined the team after impressing during rookie tryouts, and he's apparently continued to impress Chiefs coaches ever since. Meanwhile, Pole also joined the team as an undrafted free agent last offseason. He ended up playing five games and starting four games in the process. Now, he could be looking at being the Chiefs' next starting right tackle, but he has a lot of work to do first.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs Adding All-Pro Talent 'Makes Sense' According to NFL Insider
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