Chiefs And 49ers Basically Swap Backup Offensive Tackles

Left tackle D.J. Humphries started two games for the Kansas City Chiefs last year, and left tackle Jaylon Moore started five games for the San Francisco 49ers.

Now Humphries is on the 49ers, and Moore is on the Chiefs.

Though they swapped spots, they weren’t traded for each other.

The 49ers announced they had signed the free-agent Humphries late Tuesday, while Moore signed a two-year, $30 million contract with the Chiefs, including $21.2 million guaranteed, in March.

Moore only started four games during his four years with the 49ers.

“The only downside was just the lack of starts during his career,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. “When you consider the fact that he played behind a first-ballot Hall of Fame player in Trent Williams, you can see why.”

The reason Humphries didn’t see the field earlier in 2024 was that he was coming off reconstructive knee surgery after tearing his ACL on Dec. 31, 2023.

But the Chiefs signed him on Nov. 25, 2024 and started him two weeks later against the Los Angeles Chargers.

“It’s just a matter of him getting back in the swing,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said, “and making sure that he has the terminology down.”

But perhaps the Chiefs rushed him in after the long layoff.

While playing 60 snaps, he injured his hamstring and only would get one more start — when the Chiefs rested their starters in the final week of the regular season against the Denver Broncos.

Humphries was active during Super Bowl LIX, but the Chiefs opted to start Joe Thuney — a natural guard — at left tackle and stick with him even as Patrick Mahomes was sacked six times and hit five other times during the 40-22 loss.

“I don’t think it’s a secret,” Veach said prior to the 2025 NFL Draft. “(We) want to get some stability there at the left tackle position.”

To get some stability, the Chiefs not only signed Moore, but also wisely doubled down by drafting the talented Josh Simmons in the first round of the draft.

Like Humphries, Simmons was available to the Chiefs because he was recovering from a knee surgery.

If Simmons had not torn his patellar tendon, he would’ve been selected much earlier than No. 32.

“I mean, I guess it’s good for us because we got him, and that’s the only way we would’ve gotten him because that kid — he was a top 20 pick,” said Chiefs director of player personnel/college scouting Ryne Nutt. “It stinks for the kid … But things happen for a reason, and it’s kind of not where you start; it’s where you finish.”

During Moore’s predraft process in 2021, the Chiefs liked his smarts and athleticism and even ended up signing his Western Michigan linemate Mike Caliendo as an undrafted free agent in 2022.

Then during Moore’s five starts in 2024, he further impressed Veach and the Chiefs.

“He did a really good job. Now the next step is: Maintain that level of play throughout the course and duration of a season,” Veach said. “But again we’re super excited to add him and hopefully provide some stability to the left side of the line.”