Chiefs trade WR Skyy Moore to 49ers, swapping draft picks: Sources

By Matt Barrows, Jesse Newell, Dianna Russini and Vic Tafur

The Kansas City Chiefs are trading wide receiver Skyy Moore to the San Francisco 49ers, sending Moore and a 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick, according to team and league sources.

Source confirms the Chiefs are trading WR Skyy Moore to the 49ers.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) August 21, 2025

A second-round pick (No. 54) by Kansas City in 2022, Moore had 43 receptions for 494 yards and one touchdown through two seasons, never establishing a full-time role on the Chiefs offense. He did not have a catch through six games in 2024 before suffering a season-ending core muscle injury in October.

Moore, who turns 25 next month, also returned punts and kicks for the Chiefs, mostly in 2022. He dropped two passes in Friday’s preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks before taking an 88-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Why the Chiefs moved on

Moore has battled confidence issues since fumbling a few punt returns in his rookie season, and he has been open about those mental hurdles, including after his return touchdown last week.

“It felt great, just showing that sense of resiliency,” Moore said after the game. “Obviously, I had two drops this game, and felt like I was just in my head after the first one. … (The return touchdown) meant a lot to me this game and a lot for my confidence. Just showing myself that if you keep going … you can’t lose if you keep going.

“The biggest thing is just stay out of my head. Just play ball.”

The Chiefs feel good about the back end of their roster depth at receiver, with Nikko Remigio (return specialist) and Jason Brownlee (red zone, jump-ball weapon) now potentially fighting for a final spot at receiver.

Kansas City also had that position altered recently, with receiver Rashee Rice’s disciplinary hearing scheduled for late September, meaning he could start the season before serving an expected NFL suspension. Behind him, the Chiefs have emerging second-year player Xavier Worthy, veterans Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster and fourth-round rookie Jalen Royals.

Moore also became expendable because of the recent rise of receiver Tyquan Thornton, who was taken four picks before Moore (50th) in 2022. The Chiefs added Thornton to their practice squad last season after he was released by the New England Patriots. And the reason New England got Thornton? The team executed a trade in the 2022 NFL Draft, moving up four spots to exchange picks with … Kansas City. Four selections later, the Chiefs put in their draft card to select Moore. — Jesse Newell, Chiefs beat writer

Why the 49ers needed WR help

The 49ers might not be finished bulking up their receiving corps. For one, Moore is young, isn’t familiar with the Kyle Shanahan-style offense and probably isn’t someone the team can depend on offensively early in the season. More than that, San Francisco is threadbare at the receiver spot and is desperate for bodies. Four of its top six players at the position — Brandon Aiyuk, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing — might not be available for the Week 1 opener in Seattle, and another, Jauan Jennings, has been out of action with a calf issue since the second week of training camp.

The team also has veterans Russell Gage and Robbie Chosen on the roster, as well as rookie return specialist Junior Bergen. Still, the 49ers can be expected to scour the waiver wire next week for wideouts who are possibilities for the active roster and practice squad. — Matt Barrows, 49ers senior writer

What Moore brings

Moore, in his fourth season, was the Chiefs’ longest-tenured receiver. His playing time has fallen off, but the 49ers are desperate because of injuries and apparently thought Moore’s quickness and experience (36 games, 11 starts, 43 catches) outweighed some route-running roughness and a lack of contested catches.

Moore can play in the slot or outside, and he showed his returning ability last week. Two of the 49ers’ three possible returners, Watkins and Cowing, are injured. The other is Bergen, who is raw as a receiver and whose only ticket to making the roster was as an impact returner, so the trade for Moore is not a good sign for him. — Vic Tafur, 49ers senior writer

(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images)