Chiefs GM Brett Veach on what goes into making a draft-day trade
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Brett Veach expects this year's NFL Draft to feature many trades and entertain fans.
- Veach has made double-digit draft-day pick swaps over the past five drafts.
- Veach says draft trading requires exhausting all the information, a plan and fluidity.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach stopped short of calling it must-watch TV, but he believes fans who tune to the NFL Draft this week won’t regret it.
“I think it should be an entertaining night and there’ll probably be a lot of trades,” Veach said last week. “And I think that’s what a draft like this when you don’t have two or three franchise quarterbacks and a Will Anderson or a Myles Garrett, I think it does lend itself to open up to a lot of fun, a lot of excitement. So I think, from a fan’s perspective, they should have a lot of fun.”
Veach has not been shy about pulling the trigger on a trade during the draft. He’s made double-digit swaps of picks in the previous five drafts.
Here are 10 notable draft-day trades Veach has made since 2021 and the bulk of them have been after the first day.
2025
The Chiefs sent the No. 31 pick to the Eagles for the No. 32 choice and a fifth-round pick (No. 164). The Chiefs selected left tackle Justin Simmons with their first-round pick.
On day two, the Chiefs acquired the 85th overall pick from New England for the Chiefs’ 95th overall pick and a fourth-round choice in this year’s draft. The Chiefs drafted cornerback Nohl Williams, who is expected to be a key part of the secondary this fall.
Veach wasn’t done. On day three, the Chiefs got the 156th pick in the fifth round from the Steelers for the 164th pick and a seventh-round choice. After moving up, the Chiefs took linebacker Jeffrey Bassa.
Later, the Chiefs got the 228th overall pick from New England for picks No. 251 and No. 257. The Chiefs used that seventh-round choice on running back Brashard Smith.
2024
The Chiefs moved up four spots in the first round and took wide receiver Xavier Worthy at 28th overall after a deal with Buffalo. The Bills got the 32nd pick as part of a six draft pick swap. That included a fourth-round pick the Chiefs used on defensive back Jaden Hicks.
On day two, the Chiefs moved up one spot in the second round in a deal with the 49ers and took offensive lineman Kingsley Suamataia. The Chiefs gave a fifth-round pick in exchange for a sixth-round choice as part of the deal.
2023
The Chiefs got wide receiver Rashee Rice after a draft-day deal with Detroit. The Chiefs got Rice at No. 55 in the second round and picked up the 194th pick in exchange for picks No. 63, 122 and 249.
The following day, the Chiefs moved up in the fourth round after a trade with the Vikings and selected defensive back Chamarri Conner at No. 119. The Chiefs gave up their fourth-round pick (No. 134) and a fifth-rounder in that deal.
2022
The video is the stuff of legends among Chiefs fans. In the 2022 NFL Draft, the Chiefs moved up to No. 21 ahead of the Bills and selected cornerback Trent McDuffie, as the Buffalo War Room looked on glumly.
The Chiefs sent the 29th pick, along with a third and fourth rounder, to New England, but landed a star who helped cement a dynasty in KC.
2021
The Chiefs traded up in the fifth round to get tight end Noah Gray at No. 162. They sent the Jets the No. 175 pick and No. 207 in the sixth round. New York also sent the 226th overall pick to KC, which used that choice to take guard Trey Smith.
Given his propensity for making deals, Veach was asked what is the art of a draft trade.
“I don’t know if I have a blueprint for that,” Veach said. “I think it’s just exhausting all the information with each player, identifying your team needs, working with the coaching staff. ... Every team has a different amount of players on their board right now, I think we’re at 215 but even with those 215, I mean, you’re going to have 10 to 15 guys that you really want to get.
“And I think it’s just trying to work the board. And as the days go by, trying to find out how many of those 10 to 15 guys that you have in that really-want list can you position yourself to get? And again, I think that just goes back to just exhausting all the information, all these guys, and having a plan and being fluid with your process.”
This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 10:59 AM.
