Contract details for new Chiefs LT Jaylon Moore say everything about what GM Brett Veach and HC Andy Reid have in mind
The Kansas City Chiefs' contract for free agent LT Jaylon Moore tells you everything you need to know about what decision-makers Brett Veach and Andy Reid think about him.Moore signed a two-year $30M deal with over $20M in guaranteed money in Kansas City at the outset of the free agency period, but as the saying goes, […]
The Kansas City Chiefs' contract for free agent LT Jaylon Moore tells you everything you need to know about what decision-makers Brett Veach and Andy Reid think about him.
Moore signed a two-year $30M deal with over $20M in guaranteed money in Kansas City at the outset of the free agency period, but as the saying goes, the devil is in the details.
According to the folks at Over The Cap, Moore will receive a $6.750M base salary in 2025 with a $3.745M prorated signing bonus. He'll receive a $510K per-game roster bonus and an additional $250K workout bonus. The cap hit is where things get interesting. Moore will have a $11.195M cap hit, taking up 4% of the team's cap space in 2025. Only five players, Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, Jawaan Taylor, Trey Smith, and Travis Kelce, will take up a higher percentage of cap space.
This immediately tells you that the Chiefs are invested in Moore as their starting left tackle in 2025. But wait, there's more.
What does the second-year cap hit say about Moore's future in Kansas City?
When the signing came out, I initially felt that the second year would be structured so Kansas City could get out of his contract, and that's still mostly true. If they cut Moore after one season, they'd have to sacrifice about $11M in dead money for $8M in savings. It's doable, but K.C. does not like sacrificing that much dead cap.
In 2026, Moore's age 28 season, his cap number jumps to $18.745M, good for 6.3% of the cap. Based on this year's salary cap, that's a 2.3% jump. If the 2026 salary cap undergoes a big jump again as it did in 2025, that number might actually be around 4%. Still, to me, this signals that Reid and Veach aren't just anticipating Moore being their starter; they're anticipating his continued improvement in 2026 and beyond.
Moore can cash in again with the Chiefs if he succeeds
The other thing to like about Moore's contract that I really like for Kansas City is the term length. If he succeeds through the first two years of his contract and shows that he can be an average-to-above-average NFL starter, they can re-sign him at the perfect time.
The 2023 NFL draft wasn't exactly loaded with stars for Kansas City. Rashee Rice is the primary pending free agent from that class that will likely require a substantial commitment on a new deal. That means the Chiefs will likely have the funds and opportunity to re-sign Moore on a multi-year deal heading into his age 29 season. Even if it's not yet the long-term solution many hoped for at the left tackle position, it can become that with any elbow grease and a little luck. Moore has a lot to prove, with only 12 career starts at the left tackle position, but he will get that chance in Kansas City in 2025 and potentially beyond.