Skyy Moore’s time in Kansas City hasn’t exactly mirrored the script of a second-round breakout star. Two seasons in, and what’s he got to show for it? Fewer than 500 receiving yards and one career touchdown, though, to his credit, that lone score came under the brightest lights of Super Bowl LVII. Since then? Injuries. Inconsistencies. And now, a suddenly stacked wide receiver room that no longer guarantees his spot.

The Chiefs have already locked down their top three receiver slots heading into camp. Rashee Rice (assuming he avoids suspension), Xavier Worthy, and speedster Hollywood Brown. JuJu Smith-Schuster’s back. Jalen Royals was just drafted. And undrafted free agent Elijah Badger is already getting endorsements, not in the unctuous way. Add in Nikko Remigio and Tyquan Thornton, and the math doesn’t look good for Moore, especially if special teams contributions decide that sixth WR spot.

So when Patrick Mahomes addressed the media earlier this week and was asked specifically about Moore, he kept it real and respectful. “His job is to come in here and compete… whenever his number’s called, you see him go out there and he makes plays happen.” Mahomes didn’t advocate for a cut, and he definitely didn’t call out the lack of production. But he made one thing loud and clear: this room is about competition now. And the leash is short. Like he said, the end goal is to see “who the best six, seven—five, six, seven, eight—whatever guys that is to make the team.”

That brings us to former Chiefs tight end Jason Dunn, who went where Mahomes couldn’t. Speaking on Chief Concerns, Dunn laid it all out: “Just because you’re a second-round pick, you can still go to the back. They can get rid of [you]. Look, I’ve done seen guys, top picks, get cut. Because they just tired of them.”

He continued, “At a certain point, you’re no longer a second-round pick. You’re three years in. You’re not a second-round pick.” For Moore, the NFL’s brutal timeline is catching up. Dunn didn’t sugarcoat it. Experience alone won’t save Moore in Andy Reid‘s dream team. Not with younger, cheaper talent vying for reps. And in a WR room that will likely carry only six, his name might be the easiest one to move. If not cut, then flipped for a late-round pick, as KC Kingdom’s Brian Sampson recently floated. Brett Veach has made value trades from even less.

Big calls have put Patrick Mahomes’ KC on a podium this offseason

For any other team, a blowout loss in the SB after a 15-2 showing the season might’ve been forgivable. But this is Kansas City. This is Patrick Mahomes. And if you’re not raising the trophy, you’re picking apart every move that got you there. That’s why offseason grades matter a little more when your baseline expectation is ‘AFC Championship or bust.’

And yet, even with the stinging end to 2024, some believe the Chiefs nailed this offseason. Not flashy, but calculated. Sam Monson didn’t mince words on Drop the Mic: “Kansas City had arguably the best draft in the NFL.” He’s talking about the total package—how KC balanced retention, retooling, and some cold-hearted departures. Letting Joe Thuney go wasn’t easy. But flipping him for a future pick and turning the keys over to Trey Smith? That’s trusting the foundation.

Still, it wasn’t all re-sign-and-smile. The Chiefs waved goodbye to Justin Reid, Tershawn Wharton, Mecole Hardman, and yes, even DeAndre Hopkins, who’s now catching passes in Baltimore. But that’s what makes Brett Veach’s strategy so Veach-like. He bet on youth. He bet on depth. And above all, he bet on culture. Bringing in Elijah Mitchell, Kristian Fulton, Jerry Tillery, and Mike Edwards may not make headlines. But they give Mahomes support without breaking structure.

Then there’s the real pivot: left tackle. You saw the cracks last season when pressure blew up plays before they began. Veach saw them too. That’s why he brought in Jaylon Moore and drafted Josh Simmons at 32. Steve Palazzolo put it bluntly: “When they have issues at left tackle, the offense has issues.” The hope? Moore holds it down now. Simmons becomes the long-term blindside guy. Suddenly, KC may have solved its most pressing problem with one smart, two-part move.

Look, you don’t stay in the AFC Championship conversation just because you have Mahomes. You stay there because your front office plays chess, not checkers. And maybe that’s why the clock’s ticking loudly for Skyy Moore.