Brett Veach: So Brown is Under Lock and Key… What Next Mr. Maverick?

Post-Scouting Combine

It is now 2 days beyond the Scouting Combine. I watched and dug into the players as much as I was able to do and came away from the performances secure in my understanding of where Veach’s draft board must be. One thing that entered my thinking is that the top Defensive Ends(DE) would be off the board by the time the Chiefs make their selection at pick 30. This is a disturbing appraisal but I did have two or three young men in mind that were likely appraised as round two talent Boye Mafe, Jermaine Johnson, and Logan Hall would be three such players that are high in valuation. I have no way of knowing how the Chiefs big board looks today. But those three players I see as valued targets for the Chiefs.

What was equally important? Brett Veach Tagged LOT Orlando Brown, Jr. Yes, I know that many do not feel he is worth the money but seeing Veach place the tag on Brown, tells me the Chiefs see Brown as an integral component of the Chiefs as a “Foundation Player”.

I truly believed that this was the case long before Veach made the decision. In 2021, Veach went to get him. It was costly but from what I witnessed, he was on par or better than Eric Fisher. Also, I wrote about the Chiefs having a top Interior Offensive Line(IOL). My favorite pick in the 2021 draft was Trey Smith.

Although I came to a decision point about Creed Humphrey not being a KC draft pick, I will happily admit the error of my ways. My belief and it was also that of Laddie Morse, the Founder of ArrowheadOne, was that Veach would not take him in the draft because of his left-handedness. Boy was I wrong. He was the highest-grade rookie of 2021. See an article about that, here: https://fox4kc.com/sports/chiefs/chiefs-c-creed-humphrey-highest-graded-offensive-rookie-by-pff/

Laddie and I went round and round about that selection. We knew that a Center had to be one of the selections. Humphrey and Smith were “Aces” in the draft. I really have a great affinity for Trey Smith. Adding him to the mix as a 6th round pick was a complete blessing. We also focused on what Trey Smith brought to the table at ArrowheadOne. Laddie posted a video of a Trey Smith Pancake. It’s worthy of review, here: https://arrowheadone.com/chiefs-offense-mid-season-grade-card/trey-smith-giants-pancake-1/

If you then add in Nick Bolton as another “Ace”, the Chiefs came away with three quality players in 2021. Bolton is a lightning bolt defender for the Chiefs. See the “Surge” here vs. the Bills: https://www.nfl.com/videos/nick-bolton-surges-into-backfield-to-get-tfl-on-bills-stretch-run-play

Signing Joe Thuney was the icing on the cake. I have mentioned this a time or two but I felt that if the Chiefs could somehow lure away Thuney, he would stabilize the Chiefs IOL.

The fact that Lucas Niang finally reported for duty must also be appraised as a Rookie success story. Niang was essentially a rookie and really played well after the first four or five games.

Beyond the starting five was Depth. Even when someone was injured, another player was ready to step up. Here I give Andrew Wylie a lot of credos. Before the season, I was ready to cut him loose. Boy was I wrong(#2).

IF Brett Veach Can…

If our maverick GM can duplicate the success of 2021 in the 2022 off-season, we can be assured of certain successes.

1. Brett Veach & Co., and the coaching staff will somehow, someway come up with solutions for the team Needs by hook or crook.
2. With Brown Secured, the focus will likely be CB, S, WR and DE
3. Due to what appears to be a ‘dearth’ of top DE talent available in round one for the DE role, it may behoove Veach to trade out of round one and add another round 3 talent.
4. CB, Safety, and WR will rise on the Veach Draft board.
5. I can see adding a quality WR to the talent mix from the draft — Because the Offense failed the team in the AFCG.
6. The Secondary talent at CB and Safety is very deep. I like this draft for those type of selections.
7. While I will state that QB, RB, OL is not a focus of the draft, if a player is on the board that cannot be passed up at any of those position groups, don’t be surprised if Brett Veach pulls the player into the Chiefs draft. You don’t leave a top talent on the board who should logically be the next player selected.

By This Time

I have run many Mock Drafts at three sites to see if I might ascertain what is possible. Of course, this is my thinking getting into the mix. From my above list of seven items, I think you can understand my focus. It doesn’t really matter what I think may happen since I have no inside information. I will point out that the first move made was to release Anthony Hitchens. The second move was to get Orlando Brown, Jr on board. I can see the next move as a signing of a Free Agent DE: Melvin Ingram, Emmanuel Ogbah, or even possibly Chandler Jones comes to mind as potential candidates.

Of course, this will be a precursor to the release of Frank Clark. I am very sure that the message was clear when Brett Veach suggested he could return but at a significantly lower salary and contract. Veach also mentioned the fact that Hitch might fall into the same category. For me personally, the value I see in both players being on other teams in terms of cap space convinces me that other real alternatives will be the foremost constructs in the Veach Plan for 2022. With both players gone, the saving for the cap is a huge factor that would allow them to sign two experienced Veterans for the defensive line. Not only that, but it remains likely that they could also match an offer for Charvarius Ward as an added attraction.

If You Thought

The Chiefs staff, top to bottom is very versatile and led by an articulate, intelligent GM. Brett Veach has a lot on his plate for 2022. I recall fervently the fact that a bunch of “Woe is Me’s” were entertained around the Kingdom’s circuit in 2021. Things got down to $177.00 bucks and no one really considered how the NFL Cap monies are “Funny monies”. The effort in 2021 was stupendous. It will be so in 2022. I am not sure how it will unfold but I consider how things are balanced in the equation by the Chief’s staff. Look for solutions that will inform us of what the next action will be — AND — how the 2022 Draft will be used to fill holes on the defense and add a WR talent to the 2022 Roster.

It will happen. I don’t know how yet. Let’s see what the next Chiefs announcement is. It will educate us on what is to come. Hey! I really appreciate our Brett “Maverick” Veach. He is aggressive when the time is right. We will see a different side of him in 2022. It’s difficult for me to refrain from attributing to him the “High Jingo”. So I won’t! Hey Brett! Make miracles happen!

WTiV.

David Bell – ArrowheadOne