KC Chiefs’ $30 million free agent addition in 2025 tops extension candidates list, underscoring lack of impact from 2023 NFL Draft class
The Kansas City Chiefs’ top extension candidate is Jaylon Moore, according to ESPN’s Nate Taylor. They signed Moore to a two-year, $30 million deal last offseason. Does this say more about Moore or the 2023 NFL Draft class?
The Kansas City Chiefs signed offensive tackle Jaylon Moore to a $30 million free agent deal in 2025, and he has already emerged as the team’s top extension candidate heading into the 2026 NFL season. ESPN’s Nate Taylor recently named Moore the extension candidate that “makes the most sense” for Kansas City.
That distinction raises a pointed question about the Chiefs’ 2023 NFL Draft class. Why isn’t a single player from that group considered Kansas City’s most pressing extension priority?
Only 3 players from the 7-player draft class remain on the Chiefs’ roster. One member of the class was just traded away. Felix Anudike-Uzomah has failed to make a significant impact as a former first-round draft pick. The team declined his fifth-year option, turning the 2026 NFL season into a contract year. Rashee Rice carries both injury concerns and an ongoing off-field legal saga. Chamarri Conner has experienced his share of ups and downs.
On paper, the 2023 class looks like one of the weakest in the Brett Veach era. The truth is that the 2026 season will determine whether that label sticks.
There’s still time for players from the Chiefs’ 2023 NFL Draft class to change the narrative
Every member of the 2023 class still on the roster enters a defining season in Kansas City. The 2026 campaign will shape whether these players earn extensions or force the Chiefs to move on.
Anudike-Uzomah is clearly someone the team wants to rely on as a depth player, at minimum, during the 2026 season. An injury derailed his 2025 campaign before it got off the ground, so there is still runway for him to prove he belongs in the defensive end rotation. The Chiefs need him to take a step forward, and the opportunity is there.
Rice presents the most complicated case. He has the highest ceiling of this bunch. However, Reliability has been the major concern, both on the field due to injuries and off the field due to his legal situation. Whether he can overcome those issues and prove his worth in a contract year remains an open question that could hang over his head for the duration of the season. Even then, the damage might already be done regarding a long-term extension in Kansas City.
Conner is a favorite of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, but he hasn’t necessarily been put in the right position to succeed during his time in Kansas City. He struggled in the slot a season ago. This year may be his best opportunity yet, with the expectation that he’ll play safety full-time rather than getting shuffled around the secondary. A defined role could unlock the kind of production the Chiefs envisioned when they drafted him.
Moore’s extension case with the Chiefs hinges on proving he’s a starter
While Moore is a legitimate extension candidate, the right tackle job is far from settled. Moore faces competition from multiple directions. Kahlil Benson, an undrafted free agent, has taken repetitions with both the first and second teams. Esa Pole, a second-year player, has also rotated in with the top units. While Moore seems to be a preferred option because of his salary, it’s far from guaranteed that he wins the job.
The question surrounding Moore centers on whether he can prove he’s a starting-caliber player. He spent his time with the San Francisco 49ers as a backup, stuck behind a future Hall of Fame offensive lineman in Trent Williams. Kansas City is his first real chance to claim a starting job and hold it for a full season.
The bigger picture at right tackle complicates things
Even if Moore plays well, the Chiefs face a broader financial puzzle along the offensive line. Kansas City already has significant money locked up at center and right guard. Contract extensions will eventually be needed for players like left tackle Josh Simmons and left guard Kingsley Suamataia. The question then becomes whether the Chiefs want to invest heavily at right tackle on top of all that. A younger and cheaper option, such as Benson or Pole, could be more appealing to Kansas City.
It all comes back to the 2026 NFL season. For Moore, a strong campaign could prove he’s worthy of a longer-term deal as the team’s starting right tackle or a valuable swing tackle option. For the 2023 draft class, this season represents perhaps the last real chance to change the narrative before Kansas City is forced to make difficult roster decisions. The answers are coming, one way or another.