What we learned from Chiefs GM Brett Veach's pre-draft press conference | KCSN Daily 4.21
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Chiefs GM Brett Veach gave his annual pre-draft press conference on Thursday. Below you’ll find a quick look at some of the things we learned from his chat with reporters.
Trading up, trading down and staying put all remain possibilities under the right circumstances:
On trading down:
“I don’t think it would be hard at all (to trade down). I know it was a lot of joking about (Chairman & CEO) Clark (Hunt) saying, ‘You can’t trade a pick’ and listen, maybe there was some truth to it (laughter). But I think that applied more in the offseason or last summer – you know, we’re here now. So I think a trade down is a part of the draft and it gives people more of a reason to come back on Friday and see us do even more work. I think we’re at the party now, so it’s all up in the air and I think anything’s a possibility.”
On trading up or staying put:
“I think we’ll have a list of guys that you know we’ll feel like we want to be aggressive on and if it works out number-wise, I think we’ll sit there at (pick) 31 and we’ll have a few guys and if they’re there and we think it’s a range reasonable where we’re not giving up a ton – I can’t see us trading up too high in the draft or anything like that but if there’s a guy that we really like and we’re in that range and we’ll sit here in the next few days and determine what range we feel is comfortable for us. We’ll sit there and potentially make that move and we’ll be content with staying there. I’m sure there’ll be a good player there at 31 and certainly be open to trading back if all of those guys that we had in mind are gone so I think we’ll kind of see how it goes and these things change so quickly and so fluidly. But I don’t think we’d be opposed to being aggressive if we felt the player warranted (it).”
What type of things are the Chiefs looking for in a player they’d trade up for:
“Well I think it’s the intangibles and the characteristics, I think all that is done as we are setting the board. In regards on the aggressive scale how aggressive we are, it’s just how we feel about that player. The player and the values, that’s a part of the make-up, the versatility, the character, the work ethic. That all incapsulates what we feel about this player and where he is and then once he’s locked in on that board, if he’s in that range and we’re in the zone where we think we can’t get him or he won’t make it to us, that determines kind of our aggressiveness or our level of aggressiveness.”
What goes into planning a trade-up:
“Yeah, typically what we do is – like for example, this year we’re at (pick) 31 – we’ll find a range of where we think we’d be comfortable moving up. We’ll kind of highlight a few guys that we think if they fall to a certain point that they’d be worth it. And then we’ll figure out – last year, take for example, we moved from, I think it was, (pick) 30 to (picks) 21 or 22, I don’t know if it was a three and five (that) we gave up. So I think we started looking at those values. The charts are never completely accurate because some teams may be willing to take a little bit less, so I think what we do is, we’ll probably give or take one or two on each side. We’ll get to a range, so call it (pick) three or 20. And then from maybe teams (with picks) 18 to 30, we’ll just call and say – prior to the draft – ‘What would you be thinking on draft day if you were not comfortable?’ – I shouldn’t say ‘not comfortable’ but – ‘What would you be thinking on draft day if you wanted to move out of that pick?’ We like to have those conversations ahead of time so that teams aren’t on the clock and then they’re trying to tell you want they want. And then you’re trying to say, ‘Well you’re using the Cowboy board. We’re using the Cardinals board. And you’re using the Detroit board.’ So like these teams all have different boards. And so we reach out and, like I said, we’ll touch base with the first 10 teams, 12 teams in front of us. Our guys will call their guys. We’ll have communication on who’s using what board and so that when we get to that pick we already had discussions with teams 18, 19, and 20 that if we get there, they’re using this board and this is what they would want and this is what we can expect if we wanted that so it’s not like trying to figure out, again, what board and exactly the numerical count they’re using because then – things happen quickly here so you have to be prepared so we do a lot of this on the backend. And usually that’s most of the time we spend Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s before the draft just making sure that teams know that we’re interested in either trading up or trading back. And we know the teams that are interested in trading down and we know exactly what they want and what board they’re using.”
Three positions stand out as those that have the most depth:
“I think it’s a good defensive back class. I think it’s a lot of corners. I think it’s – every year you go to the combine and you have a group of guys in (Round) 1 and a group of guys in (Round) 2 and then usually they kind of work themselves up either higher on a tier or lower on a tier. And it seems like all those guys in that second wave of corners went to the combine and ran a 4.3. The numbers were crazy. These are all big, athletic, fast corners. I think it’s a really good draft in the defensive back field (and) I think there’s depth late in the linebacker position (and the) tight end class is good. It’s on how you see the (draft) board and every team will see it differently. I think it may be viewed to some teams as really deep because if you need a DB, I think you’ll think it’s a really good class and if you’re pretty good at that position then you might say that it’s a thin class. But like every year, I mean, there will be chances and opportunities to get guys in certain different rounds that make a lot of sense and (you can) get really good value on so we just have to be on point with our board like we have been in the past.”
The 2023 NFL draft will determine Chiefs’ course at RB:
On CEH’s fifth-year option:
“I mean we have some time here. We’ll see. I just think we’ll go through the draft and handle our business and make smart decisions like we always do. I don’t think we’ve reached a decision on anything yet but safe to say that once we get through the draft, we’ll look at our board and look at our offseason business that we have to attend to, some different players and contract stuff and we’ll handle all that after the draft.”
On Jerick McKinnon:
“Yeah, I think there have been some talks with Jerick (McKinnon). He’s certainly a guy that we love and greatly admire. I think this falls a similar trajectory as last year where I think Jerick just likes to take his time and make sure that he’s ready to go both physically and mentally. I think the timeline last year was right after the Draft where we were able to get with him. And so, I think once we get past next weekend, I think we’ll double up with a lot of these guys that might still have a chance to be on this roster.”
Versatility and smarts are coveted traits in Kansas City:
“Yeah, versatility is high on the list. Really all across the board on both sides of the football at every position. Receivers that can play inside and outside and tight ends that can be difference makers in the pass game but also block and as you mentioned with Steve, the intelligence factor though. Every coach wants smart players, but I don’t know if I’ve ever been around a coach that puts that premium at the highest level. He wants guys – he wants to do a lot of different things – very much like (Head) Coach (Andy Reid) on the offensive side. I mean he wants to do a lot of different things. He wants to give a lot of different looks, he wants to disguise a lot of different coverages and he wants his guys to be all on the same page and all in tune and be ready to fly and be here and play fast but I mean obviously there would be certain traits with running his scheme. Playing four-down, being long, athletic and what have you but certainly just the intelligence factor and the standard that we set there – makes it tricky a little bit in the draft because like Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis are great examples. I mean those guys are great players, but those guys could be coaches down the line, they’re so smart and so dedicated but no, Steve likes guys that are tough and are still smart and certainly want to come to work every day.”
KC Laboratory - Brett Veach gives insight on potential Chiefs 2023 NFL draft plans:
KCSN’s Kent Swanson, Craig Stout and Matt Lane react to Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach's pre-draft press conference and preview the 2023 NFL Draft's defensive class and give the best fits at each position for the Chiefs.
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