The Kansas City Chiefs are the last team to pick in Round 1 of the 2023 NFL draft.
Such is the reward for winning the Super Bowl two months ago. Their No. 31 pick has a tad more value due to the Miami Dolphins forfeiting their first-round selection due to tampering. However, the selection still remains at the bottom of the first round.
General manager Brett Veach told reporters Thursday that the team wouldn’t see any difficulty in moving out of Round 1.
“I don’t think it would be hard at all,” Veach said. “I know it was a lot of joking about (Chairman & CEO) Clark (Hunt) saying, ‘You can’t trade a pick’ and listen, maybe there was some truth to it.”
Shortly after the 2022 draft, Veach told the media that he joked with Hunt that they needed to hold back on their 2023 first-rounder, which now Veach considers on the table.
“But I think that applied more in the offseason or last summer — you know, we’re here now,” said Veach. “So I think a trade down is a part of the draft and it gives people more of a reason to come back on Friday and see us do even more work.”
The Chiefs have 10 selections in the draft with three in the top-100. Moving back would allow Kansas City to pick up extra capital to add quality depth on an otherwise championship roster.
For other teams, Kansas City’s No. 31 overall is also attractive because any player taken with that selection will have a standard first-round contract, which includes a fifth-year option. Players selected from Rounds 2-7 have four-year deals with no options.
With Kansas City a week away from the draft, the Chiefs are getting a lay of the land and how valuable their first-rounder could be.
“I think we’re at the party now, so it’s all up in the air and I think anything’s a possibility,” Veach said.
