Takeaways From Brett Veach’s Pre-NFL Draft Presser
As he has routinely in the past, Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach addressed a multitude of things in advance of one of the biggest NFL events of the year.
Speaking on Thursday, exactly one week before the 2023 NFL Draft, Veach discussed this year's class and a variety of other topics pertaining to his team's current and future states. This comes just a few days after head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes also spoke to the media, as Kansas City launched phase one of its offseason program virtually on Monday morning. With the draft now taking precedence over just about everything else, teams are getting back into the swing of a busy league cycle.
What are some tidbits that stuck out from Veach's pre-draft presser? Could his thoughts reveal or impact any of the team's plans for next week? Let's dive into five of the biggest things the two-time world champion executive covered on Thursday afternoon with quotes directly from Veach.
The Chiefs (still) appear to like their receiver group
"Yeah, I think it's like a lot of these positions. I think you always are looking to get more talent and get deeper. There's a lot of players we like. Certainly MVS (Marquez Valdes-Scantling), Skyy (Moore) and (Kadarius) Toney — we brought Justin Watson back — Richie James... we have really good players. We can certainly go out there and line up and win games, but I'd say the same about the offensive line, the defensive line and the receiver position. We're always looking to get deeper and more athletic and more talented. We're happy with the guys we have but like every team in this draft, we can find ways to make our team better."
There has been no other Chiefs position group subject to more speculation and criticism this offseason than the team's wide receiver room. With JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman inking free-agent deals elsewhere and a somewhat unproven collective left behind, Kansas City is taking a risk by banking on the aforementioned three (or five) wideouts to step up in 2023. Even if a receiver is selected high in the draft, which is certainly a possibility, Veach reiterated that the team is comfortable with the pass-catching options it currently has in the fold.
An update on the right tackle situation
"We have a lot of hopes for Lucas (Niang). He was a guy that actually won that starting right tackle position but got hurt. It's been a little bit of an uphill battle — he had a pretty bad injury there — but he has worked phenomenally to get in shape. Rick (Burkholder) and his staff have done a great job continuing to get him in the right positions to go out there and be productive, and Prince (Tega Wanogho) is a guy that has always kind of steadily grown every year he's been here.
"I think [with] (Darian) Kinnard, I'm excited for him. I think he'll have a chance to play some tackle. We certainly think he has flex [ability] and he may end up being ultimately a better guard, but he's played right tackle in the past. He was a guy that struggled a little early on but I think toward the end of training camp there and throughout the season, he has grown rapidly over the last few months."
Speaking of players heading elsewhere for contracts, Andrew Wylie isn't going to be the Chiefs' starting right tackle in 2023. With free agent acquisition Jawaan Taylor projected to start on the left side, Kansas City has the trio of Niang, Tega Wanogho and Kinnard battling it out for reps. Niang seems to have an inside edge on the top job, but Veach's praise of Kinnard means the second-year man could also challenge for a premier backup swing tackle role at the least if he continues to progress. It's been reported all offseason long that the Chiefs still like Niang, though, and this keeps that trend going in the same direction.
Patrick Mahomes's contract could be reworked eventually
"We have a special relationship with him and his agent, and we're in constant communication. It's one of those things, and I think Coach (Andy Reid) hinted on this in his last press conference: As soon as one guy gets done, it's kind of the blueprint and the model and two years later, it's jumped and exceeded. I think this organization and the relationship we have with Pat will always be working to make sure we're doing right by everybody. There will be a couple more contracts that still have to be done — (Joe) Burrow and (Justin) Herbert — and once they do I think you kind of look at everything, assess where you are and what you can do, and take it from there."
The value the Chiefs are getting with the Mahomes contract is pretty significant, as the superstar signal-caller is getting paid a hefty amount but also not making as much as his market value would net him. The timing of his contract, however, allows the Chiefs to maintain flexibility over time. It remains to be seen exactly when the multi-year megadeal will get reworked — if at all — but Veach's honestly indicates that it might be more likely than some believe.
Veach is a big fan of Kadarius Toney
"Talent-wise, it's up there. He's really good. He can do anything. He's predominantly been a guy that is a slot receiver, returner, runner, gadget-guy, if you will, but I don't know if there's a limit on his game because he has a vertical game."
After complimenting Toney's well-rounded game, Veach also brought up how smart he is and how he handled being acquired in-season extremely well. Toney absorbed the Chiefs' offensive playbook quickly upon being traded from the New York Giants in October. All signs point towards Kansas City relying on the former first-round pick to assume a significant role on offense in 2023, and the hype train isn't being slowed down by Veach whatsoever. Health is always a concern with Toney, and Veach noted that it's a factor, but the talent isn't in question from the general manager.
Anything is on the table in the first round
"We'll have a list of guys that we feel like we want to be aggressive on and if it works out number-wise, I think we'll sit there at 31 and we'll have a few guys. If they're there and we feel it's in range and reasonable where we're not giving up a ton — I don't see us trading up too high in the draft or anything like that — if there's a guy that we really like and we're in that range . . . we'll sit there and potentially make that move. We'll [also] be content with staying there, I'm sure there will be a good player there at 31. Certainly [will] be open to trading back if all those guys that we had in mind are gone."
Over the years, Veach has grown more and more adept at keeping his cards closer and closer to his chest. This is an example of that, as he confirmed the three possible outcomes at pick No. 31: stand pat, move up or move out of the first round entirely. The draft being in Kansas City is something to keep in mind in the event of a trade-down scenario, but it may not be the final deciding factor if the board presents the right opportunity to do so. A lot can change between now and when the draft clock starts ticking, so Veach isn't revealing any plans.
