After the season the Kansas City Chiefs have had, it’s not too hard to predict that there will be some serious activity in the front office this offseason. General Manager Brett Veach is going to have a really busy summer, and head coach Andy Reid opened up on how the 2026 plans might look.

“Brett’s got the control from here with the draft and free agency,” Reid said, being pretty optimistic about the future, and showing full faith in the team’s GM. “We’ve got a good nucleus of guys… You want that foundation… That’s where he’s going to start… Then you’ve got Brett picking where he’s picking… It’ll be a fresh start coming up here.”

As things stand, Kansas City is projected to be roughly $48 million over the salary cap when the new league year opens. That sounds alarming, but it’s not unfamiliar territory. The Chiefs have plenty of levers they can pull to get compliant, and history suggests they’ll manage that part without much trouble.

What comes after is where the pressure really begins. Once the cap space is cleared, Veach has to hit on his decisions. There isn’t much margin for error.

Quarterback is the first question everyone circles. With Patrick Mahomes dealing with a knee injury and a return timeline that could stretch anywhere from nine to eleven months, logic would suggest a veteran backup becomes a priority. Still, it wouldn’t be surprising if Kansas City explores the draft first before committing to that route.

Then there’s tight end. With Travis Kelce’s future uncertain, that position quietly moves near the top of the needs list. Kelce has been the offense’s constant for years, and replacing that kind of presence isn’t straightforward. Noah Gray hasn’t shown enough to clearly claim the role as the long-term answer, which puts even more weight on Veach’s evaluation here.

And of course, the pass rush was one of the Chiefs’ biggest weaknesses, especially in the first half of the season. And Veach must use the top 10 pick to reinforce it.

Veach needs to capitalise on the top 10 draft pick

Thanks to the Las Vegas Raiders pulling out a win on a last-second long field goal, Kansas City slid into the No. 9 overall pick. That loss sent the Chiefs home on the wrong end of the scoreboard, but it moved them up from No. 11 in the draft order. For general manager Brett Veach, it’s a meaningful difference. Picking inside the top 10 opens doors.

The pass rush needs help. That was one of the biggest issues all year. The Chiefs struggled to win quickly up front, something they’d done consistently in recent seasons. George Karlaftis and Chris Jones are both high-level players, but together they didn’t tilt games the way Kansas City needed them to.

Jones did find his footing late. Over the final stretch of the regular season, he posted a pass-rush win rate of 20 percent, the best in the league. Still, it wasn’t there week to week, and that inconsistency hurt. What the Chiefs are missing are true difference-makers who can win on the edge and inside, forcing quarterbacks off their spot without having to manufacture pressure.

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Historically, Brett Veach has leaned toward experience. But holding a top-10 pick changes the conversation. This might be the offseason where youth finally wins out.

Because one thing is clear: something has to give. This was Kansas City’s worst season in more than a decade, its first losing campaign since 2012. Travis Kelce’s future is uncertain. The younger players didn’t make the jump the team hoped for. They need a reset. And it starts as soon as the offseason hits.