Chiefs GM Predicts 'A Lot of Trades' amid 2026 NFL Draft Rumors, 'Should Be an Entertaining Night'

Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach expects significant movement during the first round of the 2026 NFL draft next week.

During a pre-draft press conference on Thursday, Veach told reporters, "It should be an entertaining night. There'll probably be a lot of trades."

The Chiefs are in a unique position this year, as they shockingly missed the playoffs last season with a 6-11 record, marking the first time since 2014 that they didn't reach the postseason.

As a result, Kansas City owns the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, plus it also acquired the 29th overall pick in a trade that sent cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams.

The Chiefs are one of five teams with multiple first-round picks this year, along with the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys.

That could be part of the reason for Veach's expectation that there will be trades aplenty, as all of those teams have the ammo to move up in the first round if they so choose.

There could be tons of opportunities for trade-ups as well, with The MMQB's Albert Breer reporting this week that the Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Browns and Washington Commanders have all explored the possibility of trading down.

If Veach and the Chiefs identify a player they love at a position of need such as pass-rusher, wide receiver, cornerback or offensive tackle, the Nos. 9 and 29 overall picks could be part of a deal to move into the top five.

In its latest 2026 NFL mock draft, the B/R NFL Scouting Department predicted that the Chiefs will stand pat at No. 9 and No. 29 to take Miami pass-rusher Rueben Bain Jr. and Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor.