As the hot days stack up in St. Joseph, reality can seem further and further away. Dreams of Cyrus Allen, Justyn Ross, and Bobby Sippio become more and more like reality. Meanwhile, the Chiefs roster is doing its best WWE impression on "Family Fun Day" at training camp.
This is just all to say, training camp can make us forget what 17 weeks of real NFL football looks like. A nice reminder of this came on Saturday evening as it was announced that star left tackle Laremy Tunsil will miss most of the regular season with a torn triceps. A section of Chiefs fans began commenting that Jaylon Moore could be an ideal trade partner for the Commanders as they struggle to replace their left tackle and are reportedly considering starting former Chief Andrew Wylie.
Jaylon Moore's trade value isn't what fans might hope
The confidence in trading Jaylon Moore stems from the Chiefs showing strong interest in starting rookie UDFA Khalil Benson, who has run with the first team almost exclusively until Trey Smith was sidelined with a hip injury. Benson replaced Smith at right guard, and Moore took over at right tackle. Some additional confidence in Esa Pole and Josh Simmons might have Chiefs fans feeling like Moore is an expendable asset at this point.
However, the notion that the Chiefs should be looking to move Moore is very shortsighted. The Chiefs should not be looking to move Jaylon Moore unless they are blown away by an offer. If the Commanders or any other team call and are willing to offer a Day 1 or early Day 2 pick, that certainly changes some things. That's not really likely, though. Moore would be nearly a $15 million cap hit for any team taking him on, which would automatically eliminate 12 teams from the trade pool as things currently sit (13 teams, including the Chiefs, have less than $15 million in active cap space).
The idea that the Chiefs are going to get something back of real value for Moore with his current cap hit is just unrealistic. Even if the Chiefs were to trade him, what would they even do with the cap space? Most any significant free agent is off the market. All to maybe recoup a pick that is likely a mid-to-late Day 3 selection?
The Chiefs can't afford to gamble on tackle depth
That's also not taking into account what the Chiefs' current tackle situation really is right now. Obviously, it starts with Josh Simmons, who has a sky-high ceiling and seems to be putting together another very good camp. However, Simmons is coming off back-to-back years of season-ending injuries, and in between, there was time away from the team for undisclosed personal reasons. Esa Pole was cut from the Chiefs' roster in August of last year. They were fortunate to get him back via waivers, and he did show some promise in spot-starting duty last year.
Benson wasn't even a priority UDFA for the Chiefs, as he had to earn his spot in training camp out of rookie minicamp. Yes, the early returns are promising, but it's also totally possible that he gets the Esa Pole treatment before the season starts and Jaylon Moore is just the starting right tackle for this team. Regardless of Benson or Pole, the Chiefs should've learned from last year that they need tackle depth, especially to protect their star quarterback coming off an ACL injury. Giving up that depth for what will likely amount to a Day 3 pick just doesn't make sense.
The signing of Jaylon Moore hasn't aged particularly well for Brett Veach. His $18.6 million cap hit this year is a big burden on this roster, particularly if he isn't starting Week 1. That money has already been spent. The Chiefs aren't going to be able to wave a magic wand and get Romeo Doubs or Boye Mafe on this roster now. The Chiefs are best suited to have an experienced veteran on the roster ready to protect Mahomes, whether that's Week 1 or Week 11.
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