With the close of each offseason, it seems as if Brett Veach might be able to take it easy for once. The K.C. Chiefs general manager has faced one monumental task after another since taking over for John Dorsey a few years ago. Yet each spring, it seems as if the Chiefs have a series of serious needs to address in both the short-term and long-term.
The most amazing part of that last statement is emphasized by the Chiefs’ great success. One would think that Veach’s job would mostly be about replacing spare parts and staying out of the way of a consistent winner. Instead, Veach has been facing one significant rebuild after another at various positions of need. From the defensive line two years ago to the offensive front earlier this spring.
Along with major player decisions, Veach has also been tasked with some of the NFL’s most important contractual decisions in his short tenure with the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes signed the single most lucrative extension in American team sports history just a year ago. Frank Clark is the most expensive defender in football, and he plays next to another $20 million annual ticket in Chris Jones. That’s not to mention major deals for Joe Thuney, Sammy Watkins, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce.
Even after this offseason’s o-line overhaul and another (hopefully) successful draft class and round of free agency, Veach’s desk still isn’t quite clear at this point. While Veach has another solid extension ahead of him in safety Tyrann Mathieu, that one seems a pretty easy call to offer up another solid payday to the heart of the team’s defense. That’s not necessarily a tough decision but rather a hoop that requires jumping through.
With that in mind, we wanted to take a look at the decisions we think are toughest for Veach coming within view. Perhaps these decisions are easier for some, but there are serious considerations to be made for at least the following. In short, Veach is going to stay busy for some time.