Re-Visiting Brett Veach’s Comments From Scouting Combine

The Chiefs' general manager shared how the team would conduct itself this offseason last month at the Scouting Combine. Here is how his comments lined up with his actions.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs have orchestrated several monumental moves in free agency, which reveal how they could operate in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Some of the acquisitions and departures were telegraphed by General Manager Brett Veach, who discussed the team's potential plans this offseason while addressing the media during the Scouting Combine last month. Here is a look back at a couple of those excerpts and how they held up.

Trent McDuffie's Fate

Nov 27, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) forces a fumble from Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

• “Yeah, we had a lot of dialogue with Trent [McDuffie] last spring, last summer," Veach explained. "And he's first out of the gate, I think, tomorrow [in February]. So, looking forward to getting with him. And, obviously, Trent’s a great player and we’ll see what we can do there. But certainly, would love to have Trent back and for the long-term.”

Veach stated that the team wanted to retain McDuffie and work out a long-term deal, but that obviously did not end up being the case. However, the fact that the 25-year-old cornerback signed an extension worth $31 million annually validates that Kansas City made the correct decision by trading the two-time All-Pro cornerback for a haul of draft picks.

Chiefs Aggressively Pursued Top Running Back on the Market

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs to score a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

• “Well, I think certainly we want to get more explosive in the running game," Veach said. "And we've invested in that interior, in Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey. I mean, two of the best in the league. And we thought Kingsley [Suamataia] made a big step. I mean, those are three talented interior players. So, I think, and we've talked about it, and [Head] Coach [Andy Reid] has done an amazing job with his staff cranking on that scheme eval, but I think being more explosive in the running game."

• “And really taking advantage of those interior three to kind of impose your will on an opposing team's defense," Veach continued. "But in the running game, it takes a lot of pressure off everybody. So, I think if we can be more explosive and more effective in the running game, I think obviously we take a lot of pressure off Pat [Mahomes], especially coming back early in the season with the injury.”

Oct 20, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) is pushed out of bounds by Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell (24) in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Veach was not bluffing and showed his cards to the rest of the table with these comments. Many believed this meant that the Chiefs would consider drafting Notre Dame's running back at No. 9. However, the savvy general manager prioritized figuring out the backfield before the draft next month.

Kansas City signed running back Kenneth Walker III to a three-year, $43.05 million contract, which includes $28.7 million fully guaranteed. The Chiefs landed a known commodity, and more importantly, the acquisition allows the front office to address other areas of the roster that need to improve next season.