If you’re hoping that the Kansas City Chiefs will be quick to the remaining free agent market following the 2024 NFL draft, you might wind up disappointed.
Certain teams have glaring post-draft needs that they seek to address, with players like Mekhi Becton (Eagles) and Michael Gallup (Raiders) already securing free agent deals in the two days since the draft ended.
The Chiefs don’t envision themselves as a club with any glaring post-draft needs, at least not yet.
Speaking to media members during his post-draft press conference on Monday, Chiefs GM Brett Veach was asked if there were any post-draft roster needs he sought to address via free agency.
A roster evaluation will occur starting with the team’s rookie minicamp this weekend and through organized team activities at the end of May, perhaps even further.
“We’ll use this OTA period to assess that,” Veach explained. “I think we feel good right now, a lot of these guys were playing college football last year. I think how they do it here in the meetings and how they do with just kind of absorbing the information and can they translate it out on the field is a big deal. We don’t have pads on, so some of it may tail into St. Joe, into training camp but I think for right now we’re going to let these young guys go out there and see what they can do and how much they can absorb.”
If the Chiefs find that they’re weaker at a position group than they’d like, they’ll have plenty of cap space available to be active in the veteran free agent and trade market ahead of the 2024 NFL season. Right now, however, they’re hopeful that the rookie draft class and undrafted free agent additions can be exactly what they need to fill out their roster.
No signings are imminent according to Brett Veach, including their own remaining free agents like LT Donovan Smith and RB Jerick McKinnon.
“If we feel good about it, this will be kind of where we go from St. Joe,” Veach concluded. “Then we’ll be able to adapt and adjust if needed, but I don’t think anything would be imminent.”
