What were some things you learned/saw from this year's draft about our selections that could help inform how we approach trying to anticipate what Veach may do next year? [Reply]
I hope Veach has dispelled this notion every year that he values certain positions more than another. He fills needs and he's a value hunter, which is good but can be bad. He had a masterful draft in terms of value this year. My best early bet for our early pick next year is WR. I think he'll hit TE and OL again. Of course there will be another wildcard stud that falls that Veach will snag like a thief in the night [Reply]
In the past two drafts, he's gone more for productive football players than he has those big shots on traits, especially in the first three rounds. He's also picked not only productive guys but real smashmouth types so it's clear he wants to be a tough and aggressive team.
He has addressed need/problem areas early but depth late in his drafts, so I wouldn't look to plug holes with rounds 4-7 as much as I would look for him to add bodies to position groups that might have some strength either because that group is already pretty full or he's drafted for it already and is double-dipping and can develop (smaaahrt).
I don't know that he's completely unpredictable but he's not necessarily going to go with the consensus on what the problems are. Obviously, the world was screaming WR after he traded Tyreek and he simply didn't agree. He was screaming DB after losing Ward, Hughes, Sorensen, and Mathieu and having Fenton, Thornhill, and Baker on that docket next year.
Right now, OT, DT, DE, and WR look to be the biggest areas of need and depth. We'll have to see what happens with some guys in the 2023 offseason. [Reply]
1. My impression is that Veach spends his early picks on high-floor guys and later picks on high ceiling guys.
2. He's also big on "value" which means he will take talented guys who might seem redundant/ don't address immediate needs.
3. I think we can be reasonably certain that Veach is going to trade at least once every draft.
4. Veach is the best GM the Chiefs have had in the 35 years I have been watching. [Reply]
1) football character mattered. Team first grinders appeared to be the overall theme.
2) early picks needed to be able to contribute right away, even if as role players.
3) athleticism and upside still mattered a lot, but similar to last year, it wasn't prioritized over being a football player [Reply]
Key takeaway is that Veach is getting more comfortable with his board and is willing to stick to it more than years past.
Oh hey - remember when "The right 53!" was a punchline and we made fun of our GM for focusing on football character? I guess that's cool again now... [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
Key takeaway is that Veach is getting more comfortable with his board and is willing to stick to it more than years past.
Oh hey - remember when "The right 53!" was a punchline and we made fun of our GM for focusing on football character? I guess that's cool again now...
I think it was Ballard that talked about hitting more singles and doubles in the draft vs the home run or K approach. Obviously you need a blend because to hit the high end guys you're gonna have to take some chances at some point, but where the Chiefs will continually be drafting, I kinda like it.
Ballard's issue is and will continue to be the QB until he gets it right, but that's not an issue here. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
Key takeaway is that Veach is getting more comfortable with his board and is willing to stick to it more than years past.
Oh hey - remember when "The right 53!" was a punchline and we made fun of our GM for focusing on football character? I guess that's cool again now...
The "Right 53" bullshit was insufferable because Pissholei spewed it to anyone that would listen as an crutch to remind everybody ever that he's the smartest guy in the room.
I've since learned that very little good comes from media coverage. Especially pole smoking talking head motherfuckers that diarrhea their hot takes all over everything, so I don't consume much media coverage anymore. Given that, I don't think Veach approaches his job with the same hubris (especially hubris that is obviously covering self confidence issues because of absolute incompetence), so at least from my perspective, Veach's narrative is much more tolerable.
Whether or not that is the right approach is another thing entirely.
I think it is a valid approach. When Alex Smith was here, it was reasonable to try to go get playmakers, because Smith wasn't going to make them. Reek and Kelce needed to break plays because Smith wasn't going to throw them open. Defense needed to get turnovers because Smith was going to dump some drives. We get burned by guys that were not assignment sound. Sure they made some huge plays, but also shit the bed on some possessions.
Moving forward, it makes some sense to let Mahomes do Mahomes things, and plug the leaks that undisciplined play causes. I think the critical piece is a base level of athleticism with a good football IQ. I think that while he'd never say it, Veach is looking for guys with a healthy level of "fuck off". Or more properly, dudes that play with an edge. That is a major difference from Pissholei.
Time will tell if it works. Ultimately, whatever approach they're taking, whatever traits they value, it needs to work. They need competent football players. If it ends up that we get slow, unexplosive players, like we did before, Veach is probably out on his ass, and we get a Dorsey type again that runs on measurables alone.
Time will tell. All I know is life is much more palatable with Mahomes. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
Key takeaway is that Veach is getting more comfortable with his board and is willing to stick to it more than years past.
Oh hey - remember when "The right 53!" was a punchline and we made fun of our GM for focusing on football character? I guess that's cool again now...
They got sick and tired of outside bullshit draining their team and staff. Frank Clark is a lazy asshole who doesn’t love football and checked out once he got his ring and payday and Matheiu was insufferable all year bc he didn’t get paid and bitched on Twitter constantly.
I don’t think this is “the right 53” thinking. I think they just generally wanted guys who live and breathe football and are alpha’s. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
Key takeaway is that Veach is getting more comfortable with his board and is willing to stick to it more than years past.
Oh hey - remember when "The right 53!" was a punchline and we made fun of our GM for focusing on football character? I guess that's cool again now...
Just to be clear, I just identified it as a pattern that I saw in his preferences this year. I don't personally feel that just getting 53 dudes with good character is enough to win in the NFL. history demonstrates that talent wins. However, in a team sport where people have to work closely with one another, I also can appreciate that character matters in conditioning and preparation for 99% of players, and that having that character also creates team bonds that can result in players outperforming their potential. So if you fill the roster with character guys, you better still make sure that you invest in highly talented individuals who also have great character. Patrick mahomes is a perfect example. [Reply]
"I feel good not just about the talent we added but the quantity. I think we added a lot of good talent.''
In McDuffie, Karlaftis, Reid and third-round linebacker Leo Chenal, the Chiefs potentially have four new starters on defense. The defensive makeover is similar to the one Veach and the Chiefs performed in 2019.
That year, the Chiefs started slowly defensively but were playing well by season's end. The Chiefs went on to win Super Bowl LIV.
"There could be a transitional period here with these guys, too,'' Veach said. "You're talking about a rookie corner and a rookie linebacker and a rookie defensive end, a safety that was brought in from Houston. That's a lot of moving parts there. It looks good on paper, but there's a ton of work that has to be done.''
^I would add Moore to the list of new starters [Reply]