Entering the final season of his rookie contract, Moore’s exit from K.C. is hardly surprising, though getting traded is somewhat.
The proverbial writing was on the wall long ago for him leaving the Chiefs, as Moore was battling for a role as the No. 6 or 7 receiver on the depth chart and recently missed time with a hamstring injury. Perhaps most emblematic of Moore’s time with the Chiefs was his performance in Week 2 of the preseason against the Seattle Seahawks. He had a combination of drops and bobbles on offense and special teams before finishing the game with an 88-yard punt return for a touchdown. The potential was always there, but consistent production never was.
Kansas City marched to its third straight Super Bowl appearance last season, but Moore was a nonfactor. He saw action in just six games, with zero receptions on three targets and only two kick returns for 43 yards’ worth of special teams contributions. He missed the final 11 games of last season and each playoff game after he was placed on injured reserve with a core muscle injury.
Symbolic of Moore’s diminishing role is that the Chiefs won two Super Bowls and played in 10 postseason games during his time. However, Moore played in just three playoff games — all as a rookie. That included what’s easily his most memorable moment as a Chief, hauling in a 4-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVII. The fourth-quarter score and ensuing extra point put the Chiefs up, 35-27, en route to an eventual 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now, Moore will turn the page and look to buoy the 49ers. He’ll turn 25 on Sept. 10, so he should still have some fresh legs under him.