Examining Brett Veach’s tendencies in free agency, trades, and the NFL Draft

Brett Veach and free agency

When discussing the key moves that led to a Super Bowl victory for the Kansas City Chiefs, it is impossible to overlook the free-agent signings of Tyrann Mathieu and Bashaud Breeland. Both players were brought on to be key contributors in the defensive backfield but were brought on to play very different roles.

Mathieu was the “splash” signing of last season. He was brought on to not only be a top-notch player in the backfield, but he was also to be the heart and soul of a defense that lacked the motivation to be remotely competent. Steve Spagnuolo could see that Mathieu had no glaring weaknesses and was incredibly versatile.  After relaying this message to Brett Veach, he made Mathieu priority number one.

Mind you, there were at least two safeties available that were considered better players than Mathieu. One was Landon Collins and the other was Earl Thomas, who the Chiefs were reportedly interested in. Veach decided to stick to the plan because Mathieu was the best fit. When Earl Thomas’s price range inflated, Veach stopped pursuing him and opted to draft Juan Thornhill who looks to be even better than in his rookie year. Veach did not get emotionally attached. He made the decision and stuck to the team’s script.

Overlooked in free agency is Veach’s innate ability to find players with a high ceiling and yet an affordable price tag. This season, it was Bashaud Breeland who was playing slot cornerback for the Green Bay Packers. While Breeland did not have a great year in Green Bay, Veach was able to quickly diagnose that the problem was Breeland playing out of position. Afterall, Breeland was a failed physical away from a huge contract with the Carolina Panthers.

Breeland wasn’t the only steal last season. Mike Pennell was brought in midseason and became one of the best run stoppers on the team. Thirty-two NFL teams had overlooked his capabilities for several weeks of an NFL season. Pennell went on to have an enormous impact on the Chiefs defensive success in the middle of the defensive line. In the middle of the linebacking corp, Veach added Damien Wilson who was also overlooked and played a key role in the defense.

Future moves:

Veach will not go out of his way to make a “splash” type signing after winning the Super Bowl. There is no glaring weakness on the team that cannot be addressed with role players or draft picks. If Veach wants to make a big-time move, it will either be a trade for someone that he loves and feels can make an immediate impact, or a player that will be within their set price range. If I were to make an assumption, it would be that Kansas City will be far more interested in adding role players than all-stars.

The Chiefs will be looking for depth at any position, but will likely have their eyes on offensive linemen, cornerbacks, and linebackers. With the continued search for role players, Veach looks to learn from overpaying for players that fit the team’s system. Sammy Watkins and Anthony Hitchens, who signed in the same offseason, are two of the most extreme contracts in accordance with their on-field production. If Brett Veach can learn to refrain from overpaying players, the Chiefs will be in incredible shape going forward.