Chiefs fans should be thrilled if Jaylon Moore doesn’t win starting job

When the Chiefs signed Jaylon Moore back in March, most fans in Kansas City figured he'd be their starting left tackle for 2025. That made sense since K.C. guaranteed him $13.75 million over two years.

Then April 24th happened. The Chiefs selected Josh Simmons, a tackle from Ohio State, with the 32nd overall pick. Simmons was a polarizing prospect—clean tape, solid measurables, the whole package. The red flags? Some potential maturity concerns and that nasty patellar tendon tear he suffered in October. Those injuries typically require at least nine months before returning to practice, and not every player gets back to 100%. If his knee never got hurt, there's a good chance the Patriots would've picked him at fourth overall. But injuries create questions, and questions drop draft stock.

The good news from 1 Arrowhead Drive is that Simmons' recovery is apparently going really well, and he was a full participant in recent OTAs. If he's ready for training camp, and that's looking realistic, expect him to have the inside track on the starting left tackle job

If the competition is close by the end of preseason, the rookie should win. Period. The Chiefs are going to give their first-round pick every opportunity they can. Unless Moore is clearly the better option for 2025, Simmons gets the nod. By that point, Simmons would have been long cleared by Kansas City’s medical staff.

Jaylon Moore not winning left tackle role could be the best-case scenario for Kansas City’s offensive line.

Now, I know what many of you are thinking—"Great, we just wasted $30M on a backup." But hold up. If Moore's riding the bench, that probably means Simmons absolutely earned that starting spot, which would be huge for Kansas City’s future. Simmons has the higher ceiling, and he's younger. Yeah, "wasting" $30 million stings, but think of it this way: the Chiefs are doing everything possible to fix the position that gave them nightmares last season. If left tackle is locked down long-term, why complain?

Plus, even if Simmons starts Week 1, Moore still might see plenty of action. If Jawaan Taylor’s penalty problems continue, don’t be shocked if the Chiefs bench him and slide Moore over to right tackle.

There’s another possibility, too: the Eric Fisher approach. Remember, after K.C. took Fisher first overall in 2013, he spent his rookie year at right tackle before moving to the left side in 2014. Simmons actually played right tackle at San Diego State before transferring to Ohio State, so the adjustment wouldn’t be steep.

Let’s not forget that Moore himself is still somewhat of an unknown. He was never a full-time starter in San Francisco, logging just over 800 snaps across four years. Sure, he looked really good in 2023 and 2024, but we’re talking about roughly 500 snaps total. It’s possible Moore just isn’t a starting-caliber player—but as long as Simmons pans out, that won’t sink the Chiefs’ season.

Any combination of Simmons and Moore starting at the tackle spots would be fantastic for Kansas City, assuming everyone stays healthy. That scenario would mean the Chiefs upgraded both tackle positions from 2024, which spells great things for the offense.

Bottom line: if Jaylon Moore doesn’t end up starting at left tackle, Chiefs fans shouldn’t panic. In fact, they should be excited. It would likely mean Simmons earned that job outright, plus there’s a real chance Moore could end up being a quality starter at right tackle. If both things happen, this upcoming season could be something special for the Kansas City offense.