Left tackle D.J. Humphries played in two games for the Kansas City Chiefs last season, while left tackle Jaylon Moore played in five games for the San Francisco 49ers.
Currently, Humphries plays for the 49ers, while Moore is with the Chiefs.
Even though they changed places, they were not exchanged for one another.
The 49ers revealed they had inked free-agent Humphries late Tuesday, while in March, Moore secured a two-year, $30 million deal with the Chiefs, featuring $21.2 million guaranteed.
Moore played in just four games throughout his four seasons with the 49ers.
“The sole drawback was simply the limited starts throughout his career,” remarked Chiefs general manager Brett Veach. “When you take into account that he was behind a first-ballot Hall of Fame player in Trent Williams, it becomes clear why.”
The reason Humphries didn’t play earlier in 2024 was due to his recovery from knee reconstruction surgery after tearing his ACL on December 31, 2023.
However, the Chiefs signed him on November 25, 2024, and began him two weeks afterward against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“It’s simply about him getting back into the rhythm,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid stated, “and ensuring he understands the terminology.”
However, it’s possible that the Chiefs hurried him back following the extended absence.
After participating in 60 snaps, he strained his hamstring and would only make one additional start — when the Chiefs rested their starters during the last week of the regular season against the Denver Broncos.
Humphries participated in Super Bowl LIX, but the Chiefs decided to start Joe Thuney — a true guard — at left tackle and maintained that choice despite Patrick Mahomes being sacked six times and hit five additional times during the 40-22 defeat.
“I believe it’s not a secret,” Veach stated before the 2025 NFL Draft. “We aim to achieve stability at the left tackle position.”
To achieve stability, the Chiefs not only signed Moore but also smartly reinforced their strategy by selecting the skilled Josh Simmons in the first round of the draft.
Similar to Humphries, Simmons was accessible to the Chiefs as he was recuperating from knee surgery.
Had Simmons not injured his patellar tendon, he likely would have been chosen far earlier than No. 32.
“I suppose it’s beneficial for us since we acquired him, and that’s the only manner we could have obtained him because that player — he was a top 20 selection,” stated Chiefs director of player personnel/college scouting Ryne Nutt. “It’s tough for the child… However, events unfold for a purpose, and what matters is not the beginning; it’s the conclusion.”
Throughout Moore’s pre-draft journey in 2021, the Chiefs appreciated his intelligence and athletic ability, eventually signing his Western Michigan teammate Mike Caliendo as an undrafted free agent in 2022.
During Moore’s five appearances as a starter in 2024, he continued to impress Veach and the Chiefs.
“He performed exceptionally well.” “The subsequent step is: Sustain that standard of performance over the entire course and length of a season,” Veach stated. “However, we are truly thrilled to bring him on board and hopefully offer some stability to the left side of the line.”