Adam Teicher, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

What to expect from the Chiefs in free agency

The Kansas City Chiefs this week will head into their first free-agent season with Brett Veach as their general manager, so it's hard to predict exactly what moves will follow. Veach has shown in his eight months on the job a willingness to shake up the status quo if the Chiefs believe that's necessary.

But there are a few realities Veach and the Chiefs will be dealing with once the market opens for business on Wednesday. That allows us to make some assumptions about what free agency will look like for the Chiefs in 2018:

  • The Chiefs should have around $20 million in cap space once they've made the trades of quarterback Alex Smith and cornerback Marcus Peters official and trimmed other salaries off their books by releasing some of their players. That total will allow the Chiefs to be active in free agency but more so as bargain shoppers than big-name hunters. It's difficult to picture the Chiefs, with so many holes on their roster, splurging for one player rather than spending on a few.

  • Former general manager John Dorsey always tried to enter the draft with a roster well-stocked at every position, meaning he wanted the Chiefs to be fortified and at least competitive at all spots had they needed to take the field for a game on the eve of the draft. He wasn't always successful in that goal, but wanted the Chiefs to be as free as reasonably possible from positional needs heading into the draft. Veach may or may not follow that philosophy, but this would be a good year for him to do so. The Chiefs don't have a first-round pick, so the draft may not be of much value to them in terms of immediate help. As things stand, the Chiefs will have one pick in the second round and two in both the third and fourth rounds. Dorsey also didn't look at draft picks in terms of having to play immediately. Last year's two top picks, quarterback Patrick Mahomes II and linebacker Tanoh Kpassagnon, played little as rookies.

  • If Veach follows Dorsey's lead in this regard, look for the Chiefs to be searching for help at all levels of their defense. The depth chart looks sparse at many spots on defense.

  • Their biggest offensive move in free agency may be to add a veteran quarterback. The Chiefs need an experienced player to back up Mahomes, the only quarterback they have under contract for next year.

  • Veach said at the recent NFL scouting combine the Chiefs would be in the market for fast receivers to accommodate Mahomes' talents. Speed in a veteran wide receiver is going to cost. They're better off looking to the draft for help there.

  • The Chiefs aren't afraid to make the bold move. In the past year, they traded way up in the draft so they could select a quarterback in the first round for the first time since 1983, traded the NFL's top-rated passer from 2017 and a most talented young cornerback and let go of their longtime inside linebacker in Derrick Johnson. There's a limit on how much of that kind of thing one team can do but if there's another strong maneuver out there that Veach and the Chiefs believe can help, look for them to go for it.

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