Kansas City Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach has consistently pushed the envelope in roster management. Sometimes, he’s very aggressive, while other times, he’s more reserved and patient. With his best roster on paper, will he make any adjustments before camp starts?
With training camp just two weeks away, the Kansas City Chiefs have put significant effort into rebuilding their 2025 roster. Thanks to key free agents and a strong draft class, this may be the best roster during Brett Veach’s time.
The Riverboat Gambler General Manager has shown his talent for assembling Super Bowl-winning teams. With three Lombardi Trophies earned during his tenure, he faces the 2025 season with resolve. The three-peat didn’t happen, and the tough loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX left a lasting impact on the franchise.
For Veach, he had to navigate injuries and limited cap space and ride the wave of this team with every snap. I’m sure nobody felt worse about the season’s end than Veach. After all, he’s the roster builder.
Still, after the tough loss, he went to work with his scouts to begin the pre-draft process and spent a significant amount of time at the NFL Combine talking with agents about potential clients and gauging their interest in joining the Kansas City team.
Although the talks are meant to be ‘what if’ scenarios, agents and GMs usually know which players might be available.
According to all reports, the Chiefs hit home runs in filling gaps in free agency and might have assembled the best draft class since their highly successful 2022 class.
We’ve analyzed all off-season, but with training camp just two weeks away, the Chiefs have $10.8 million in cap space, so they could add a veteran or two if they feel they need to strengthen their roster further.
That cap number could change as Veach and representatives for Trey Smith aim to announce a new contract before the start of camp. If that occurs, Smith’s franchise tag cap hit will be much lower than the $23.4M listed today.
So, who is available to help the Chiefs?
I still want to see the team add more depth to the secondary. My top choice is former Denver Broncos standout safety Justin Simmons. Yes, he doesn’t like the Chiefs, but let’s set aside the Orange Crush feelings for a moment. Although he’s 31, he was excellent for the Atlanta Falcons last season and still has many NFL games ahead. If the Smith deal is finalized, this could be the move Veach makes.
Another player on my radar is former Indianapolis Colts free agent safety Julian Blackmon. He’s a playmaker who performed well despite being on a struggling football team. At just 27, he would be a solid addition for Veach.
One position I don’t see Veach addressing—unless there’s an injury or suspension—is the wide receiver spot. Both Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper are free agents. If I had to choose, Cooper has the talent and fits perfectly with the Chiefs’ offense. Allen, though, is a talented playmaker, but I believe his best days are behind him.
If you’re looking for a sleeper signing, I wouldn’t mind adding another pass rusher. Although Von Miller is a free agent and fits a situational role, I like him on the Chiefs roster. Still, I believe Jadeveon Clowney is the better player.
The Chiefs need to apply significant pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and Clowney still has the potential to be a disruptor that the Chiefs could rely on this season.
Finally, if Veach wants to strengthen the cornerback group and Joshua Williams is on the verge of making the 53-man roster, he might sign cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. The former Los Angeles Chargers player is only 25 years old.
Over four seasons facing the AFC West rival, he only recorded six interceptions and 26 pass breakups. Still, he’s been ignored in free agency, and Veach prefers to add players from his division.
Veach, for the first time in two years, enters training camp with cap space and the willingness to take a chance.
