Here's why newest Chiefs LT Jaylon Moore says he's ready to start

Moore excited for the opportunity in Kansas City

The Chiefs’ signing of tackle Jaylon Moore to a two-year deal during free agency was probably met with a touch of skepticism from around the league.

Moore wasn’t a starter with the San Francisco 49ers, after all.

And he’s appeared in just 55 career games with 12 starts since entering the league in 2021 out of Western Michigan as a fourth-round pick with San Francisco.

The 6-foot-4, 311-pound Moore, however, believes he’s ready for the opportunity to be a full-time starter at left tackle and protect Patrick Mahomes’ blindside.

"I mean, in my opinion, the tape doesn't lie,” Moore confidently said Thursday during a Zoom teleconference. “I know it's a small sample size, but, I mean, I just go out there and play ball the way I know how.”

He’s also grateful the Chiefs have faith in him with the signing.

“They see something in me, so I'm excited to go balls to the wall for these guys," Moore said.

While the Chiefs’ newest offensive tackle is correct on a “small sample size” when it comes to his NFL playing experience, Moore was a three-year starter at left tackle in college.

Moreover, he had the chance to learn as the primary backup for All-Pro Trent Williams, one of the NFL’s elite left tackles, and Moore didn’t take it for granted.

“It was everything I could’ve imagined,” Moore said. “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 the standard every day, in and out, it's kind of hard for the floor to be very low, I would say.

“Not saying that it’s hard for anyone else to be able to do that. But just being put in that position to being able to study behind him and kind of critique my game based on what I see every single day, I mean, it made all the difference in the world."

New Chiefs running back Elijah Mitchell, who was Moore’s teammate in San Francisco, agreed.

"Jaylon brings a lot even though he was in front of one of the best tackles in the league, man,” Mitchell said Tuesday during a Zoom teleconference. “But Jaylon is definitely a sleeper and Patrick Mahomes is going to love what Jaylon brings to it, man.

“He can protect. He's a good guy and an awesome football player, so he’s going to be good. I’m excited for him.”

Moore, 27, projects confidence in his skill set and he has Mitchell’s strong endorsement to go along with the Chiefs’ leap of faith to address the left tackle position.

And it’s no secret the Chiefs need stability at left tackle when considering they’ve gone through Orlando Brown, Donovan Smith, Kingsley Suamataia, Wanya Morris and D.J. Humphries since Eric Fisher left in 2021.

Whether Moore is the long-term solution remains to be seen, but he looks forward to proving he belongs in Kansas City.

“It’s a great organization,” he said. “I know it’s a great team. Everything that I’ve heard from the outside, having new teammates that came from the organization, I know it’s top tier and I’m excited.”