Chiefs Trade Deadline: Brett Veach's History Provides Some Clues

While quarterbacks and coaches get most of the glory, National Football League (NFL) general managers are perpetually under pressure. If the team is bad, it's the general manager's fault. If things are going well, the front office has to keep the ball rolling.

Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach is facing that latter scenario. His club is coming off a Super Bowl title and standing strong in the 2023 standings, but things aren't perfect. KC's offense seems to lack a genuine second-choice option after Travis Kelce, and some fans are looking to the front office to acquire some reinforcements.

History, however, suggests that those wearing red, white, and gold shouldn't hold their breath. Precedents don't always hold water, but Veach usually stands firm at the trade deadline.

Let's break things down.

The Chiefs Offense Seems to Need a Receiver

Ever since head coach Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and Kelce joined forces, Kansas City has been one of the NFL's top offensive teams. In 2023, however, things feel a bit different.

While the Chiefs still profile rather well—through seven games, KC sits in second place for both overall yards and passing yards per game—the passing attack isn't the most balanced. Kelce leads the way, as you might expect, and there's not a genuine secondary threat behind the tight end.

Rashee Rice is the best candidate for that role, but it can be risky to rely on a rookie. Skyy Moore hasn't quite developed as the organization would have hoped. Justin Watson is currently injured and, despite his big-play ability, isn't a consistent option. Kadarius Toney is yet to step up, and Mecole Hardman Jr. didn't develop into a true Tyreek Hill replacement when given the chance.

That reality, combined with the fact that Kansas City's one loss came with Kelce sidelined, has stoked a bit of fear. What happens when, in a must-win game, the opposition focuses all their attention on Kelce? Who will step up then?

That's prompted plenty of speculation that the club could trade for a receiver. And while the rumblings started before Hardman returned to Arrowhead, the links haven't gone away.

The most common link has the Chiefs landing Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, who's currently playing football with the Cardinals. Other less-splashy options like Kendrick Bourne have also been floated.

Veach Usually Stays Quiet Around the Trade Deadline

A trade can't materialize out of thin air, though. Someone has to pull the trigger. For the Chiefs, that decision-maker is Veach.

That, however, is where the problem arises. The GM isn't one for major in-season deals.

Veach took charge of the Chiefs in 2017 and didn't make any trade deadline deals across his first three years on the job. In 2020, however, he made one small move: dealing DeAndre Washington to Miami. The following year was a bit more active, the AFC West club sending Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to the Jets for tight end Dan Brown and acquiring Melvin Ingram for a sixth-round pick.

Then, in 2022, the executive pushed things a bit further. He traded two draft picks (a compensatory third-rounder and a sixth-round selection) to the Giants for Toney ahead of the deadline. Rashad Fenton also left KC in exchange for a seventh-round pick.

Yes, you read that correctly. Veach's biggest trade deadline saw him acquire an inconsistent receiver and an insignificant draft pick. And while that probably doesn't bode well for a move at the 2023 deadline, there's still another piece of the puzzle.

Veach Also Seems to Understand Sustainability

At the risk of stating the obvious, other NFL teams aren't going to simply hand the Chiefs players. Kansas City will have to give up some assets, presumably in the form of draft picks, to get things done.

That's another place where Veach's previous work and statements provide some clues. The general manager seems to genuinely grasp the challenge of keeping a Super Bowl window open. Some tough decisions will have to be made, but the Chiefs have to future-proof as much as possible.

Consider trading Hill as an example of that reality. During the 2023 offseason, Veach essentially admitted that deal was designed to preserve cap space to retain Chris Jones.

"You have to keep in mind that when we did make that move with Tyreek, one of the determining factors was because there was an expected Chris Jones deal," the executive told The Kansas City Star. "And so, to do Tyreek, there was a concern of, 'Would we be able to do Chris?'

"And so that was a moment of time, and it was before the draft, that we hit the reset button. And we're like, 'You know, it's really hard to trade a player the magnitude of Tyreek Hill.' But we're following that up with someone just as significant and on the defensive side."

Beyond that, Veach has also done a good job of building through the draft. When you have a large portion of your wage bill devoted to a handful of stars, talented players on rookie contracts need to pull their weight. The likes of Nick Bolton, Willie Gay Jr. and Isiah Pacheco have been fine examples of that value-for-money.

Giving away draft picks, especially ones in the earlier rounds, makes it tougher to keep the ball rolling. And while you can score a bargain on someone like Hardman, a higher-profile name (like Hollywood Brown) will come with a higher asking price.

Does that mean that Veach can't compromise? Of course not, some deals are worth risking a bit of future security for more immediate results.

Will the Chiefs be offered one of those irresistible deals in 2023? It's possible, but you might not want to hold your breath.