Chiefs GM Brett Veach Utters: So Shall It Be Written, So Shall It Be Done – Brett Veach has nailed a new standard to the Parapet above the playing field at One Arrowhead Way. The flag is already there, we just don’t know it yet. GM Brett Veach has yet to finish utterances because there is more work to do. So, let’s review all that has been done. I sat and marveled at this a couple of days ago. Take a look for yourself.
2019 will go down as one of the greatest accomplishments of Brett Veach’s young career and perhaps will be compared to the Great GM’s of the NFL World.
He speaks softly,
Utters words which are commands,
The Timbers of ArrowheadOne shake,
And the Earth beneath the playing field moves.
So let’s take a look, first at the draft, then at the Undrafted Free Agents and also players brought in on trade to build the team up for a championship run all in one off-season. Then we’ll look at the rest since he took over in 2017.
The 2019 NFL Draft
First with the draft:
Pick 1 (ACE): He made a move and use their first pick to get Clark: (ACE). No doubt about it in my mind.
Pick 2 (ACE): With the first second round pick, he drafted Mecole Hardman (ACE!), Round 2 , pick 24 (56th), in his deal making, this was a crucial addition at the time because Tyreek Hill’s status was not known and we needed a WR who could get the Aerial Game over the top. I believe that Veach had Hardman already on his Big Board, but the situation with Hill may have led Veach to pick Hardman earlier than he might have otherwise. Still this is a top pick, far undervalued and underrated as Hardman is demonstrating in camp and preseason games. The Chiefs have already served notice about the speed of the WR’s on the active roster, followers around the various sites, fans and pundits too, have dubbed it the legion of zoom (change that ID ASAP).
Hardman is a totally outstanding round 2 pick. On any other team Hardman would be the #1 or #2 WR and would have earned that role by what he has accomplished maybe since Otis Taylor. We have to wait on it but he is that kind of Talent. I have wanted to get some of the metrics and comparisons to some of the more Ancient Chiefs of similar import so Taylor is it!
Since the Chiefs acquired their GOAT, Lenny Dawson in a trade, PM2 is going to have total aerial free reign with 5 targets that run a 40 in less than 4.5 seconds… Hill, Watkins, Hardman, Thomas, Robinson. WOW!
Pick 3 (ACE): Juan Thornhill had all the earmarks of being a successful safety in the NFL. I wrote when the Chiefs acquired him that it was an top notch choice and he may indeed be a starter from the start — we do know he will have impact on the Safety group. He is a better fit to play center field than any other player in the group. When it all settles out, the Chiefs safety group will be the insurance that creates a successful defense for the Chiefs both in aerial defense leadership on the field and in run defense support.
Pick 4 (Grade B+): Round 3 pick Khalen Saunders has all the earmarks of having a very successful Career on Chiefs defensive front. He is not going to be a starter but should be making impact plays before the end of the season. I’ll give this pick a B+ for now).
Pick 5 (Grade B): The Chiefs did not have picks for round 4 and 5 but in round 6, Pick 28(201), Brett Veach selected Rashad Fenton (CB) SC, (B grade for now).
Pick 6 (Ace in the Making): Then with the 41st (214) pick in Round 6, Veach drafted Darwin Thompson (RB) Utah St (ACE) and I “ain’t kiddin’ neither”. Thomas has blown away coaches pundits, talent scout and locale fandom with his participation in practice and his play thus far. DTrain is what they are calling him and if all is copacetic the rest of the way, Darwin is going to be the #2 RB for Eric Bieniemy’s offense. Already moving this pick from B to A. I don’t need to wait a season to re-evaluate.
Now think on that because this pick was 214 of all players and he is going to get snaps in every game. He will also have the opportunity to overtake Williams. I give this draft pick an “A” and Ace because of what such a late round pick is on the verge of accomplishing if the NFL gods are in place and the crick don’t rise. Thomas has had one heck of a camp and a show storm in pre-season games to boot.
Pick 7 (Another Ace in the Making). Nick Allegretti was a B+ type draft pick. Tough to do more with a 7th round pick.
Okay, we have another ace growing up. This one is a round 7 pick and the reason it is an ace is because Nick Allegretti has positioned himself to compete for a starting role in camp and preseason games by his work and performance. He will at the very least be a #2 Guard on the active. roster. That is not a starter but puts him in probable equal company with long time pro Jeff Allen who returns as a late addition to strengthen the offensive line. If they start Cam Erving and move Andrew Wylie to Swing Tackle (SW/T), then Allegretti will have the opportunity to take over if he falters.
Nick has done a lot and accomplished a lot in getting ready for the 2019 season and shows he belongs as a Chief. This is high praise for a 7th round pick and demonstrates the fact of that fete. I give him a B+ or A- with a chance to grow up into a total Ace before the season is over.
The Chiefs have an offensive line that is very strong, especially the interior and both bookend tackles. The weakness might very well be recognized as the #3 tackle or SW/T. That is a crucially important role to the front five. Thus Reid is looking how to manage this, put the best players for task in the right place. We will have to see what the result of that is going to be.
UDFA & F/A Signings
The following will naturally bring forward UDFA’s from 2018 and 2019 both, because the former players who are going to be on the roster as well as those from this year’s talent selection.
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- Mecole Hardman (WR) will be the #3 WR in 2019, draft pick #2.
- Cody Thompson (WR) will be the # 7 in 2019.
- Frank Clark (DE)– acquired in a trade – Veach used 2019 pick 1
- Alex Okafor (DE) – Signed F/A – 2019
- Emmanuel Ogbah (DE) – Veach trade, 2019.
- Blake Bell (TE), F/A Signed 2019
- Deon Yelder (TE’s) – F/A Signed in 2019.
- Kyle Shurmur (QB) Signed UDFA 2019
- Jeff Allen (OG) signed F/A 2019
- Damien Wilson (LB) signed F/A 2019.
- Derron Lee (LB) signed F/A 2019.
- Juan Thornhill drafted 2019.
The Moves that Occurred before 2019
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- James Winchester, F/A Signed 2017
- Harrison Butker, signed from another team’s PS 2017
- Chase Litton (QB) – Signed UDFA 2018.
- Jeff Allen (OG) – signed F/A in 2018 for 1 year.
- Xavier Williams (DT) – signed F/A in 2018.
- Armani Watts Draft pick 2018.
- Jordan Lucas (S) – acquired via trade 2018.
- Daniel Sorensen – UDFA signed in 2016.
- Ben Niemann (LB) – UDFA signed in 2018.
- Derrick Nnadi (DT) – draft pick, 2018.
- Charvarius Ward (CB) – acquired in a trade(2018).
- Andrew Wylie (OG/OT – acquired via trade in 2018.
- Austin Reiter (OC) – acquired via trade in 2018.
- Cam Erving (OG/OT) – acquired via a trade in 2018.
- Reggie Ragland (LB) – acquired via a trade in 2017.
- Anthony Hitchens (LB) was a F/A Signing in 2018.
- RB’s Damien and Darrell Williams were UDFA’s 2018.
- Kahlil McKenzie (OG) – Draft pick, 2018.
- Demarcus Robinson (WR) – 2018 UDFA, will be the #5 WR.
- Byron Pringle (WR) will be the #6 WR on the roster- 2018 UDFA.
- Sammy Watkins (WR) 2018 Free Agent.
A Summation
The above demonstrates all the moves made to obtain players who fit the Chiefs persona and needs over the two seasons as we await “Cut Down Day.” There is a lot of very good talent on this roster. Brett Veach has used 2018 and this half of 2019 to position the roser for success.
The above demonstrates those moves. There were miss-steps and they were fixed quickly. I was looking at all that has been done since Brett Veach took over. So, I covered it again this time from this perspective: and that is a whole “lotta bidness” going on!
No one would have thought that a complete defensive work-over could have been accomplished in one season. No one would have thought that as many exposures and weaknesses could be covered since the end of 2018’s post season until the present moment. There are weakness areas but they are not “blank spots.”
I am sitting here, wondering what comes next. I am marveling at what has thus far been accomplished in 2019, at the number of significant moves. I don’t think Brett Veach has hung up the six round pistola’s for 2019… yet! He has yet to make his final 2019 utterance and that will be to cap off the 2019 season and postseason and it will be made in February — the last one will be: “Win the Super Bowl. So Shall It Be Written, So Shall It Be Done!”
David Bell –- ArrowheadOne
PS ArrowheadOne offers an OPEN THREAD later today for those who’d like to watch the game and comment together. It’s your chance for a real Kumbaya moment.
The game starts at 7:00 P.M. CDT.
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