Well, that didn't take long.
Merely minutes after the opening of the early negotiating window for NFL free agents, it was reported by multiple outlets, although first by ESPN's Adam Schefter, that San Francisco 49ers backup offensive lineman Jaylon Moore was headed to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Per Schefter, it's a two-year, $30 million deal.
Wow.
It seems Moore has benefitted from a middling free agency class (especially with Ronnie Stanley already off the board and re-signed by the Baltimore Ravens) and an NFL draft crop of tackles that is causing some mixed reviews to cash in.
After all, it's a a serious amount of money for a player who only has 12 starts in his pro career. It's easy to understand why the 49ers didn't pay it.
However, the huge deal likely lands a compensatory pick in the draft, which will not be unwelcome news to general manager John Lynch, particularly as the 49ers only drafted Moore in the fifth round out of Western Michigan in 2021. This deal likely to fetch as good or a better pick in return for a player who has had little starting experience.
Moore has primarily served as Trent Williams' backup in San Francisco, starting his most games (five) this year in relief of the All-Pro. While Moore was modestly impressive this year, and San Francisco would've likely liked to bring him back, there's absolutely no way the 49ers would've countenanced paying at that level.
It does leave the 49ers even thinner at tackle, though, with only the aforementioned Williams, the much-maligned Colton McKivitiz, and developmental players in Isaac Alarcon, Sebastian Gutierrez and Jalen McKenzie on the current roster.
That leaves open the possibility of a cheap free agency signing to build depth, or possibly a high draft pick to help reshape the position, which has been frequently cited as one of the major issues for the 49ers going into the offseason.
Regardless, the only truth so far is that Jaylon Moore's four-year, 55-game 49ers career is over, and he moves to one of San Francisco's major rivals for a huge contract.
Good luck to him.
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