The Kansas City Chiefs may have made a splash in the 2026 NFL Draft, but not everyone is impressed with how general manager Brett Veach navigated the offseason. Bleacher Report's Brett Sobleski recently handed out grades for each team's 2026 moves, and the Chiefs didn't fare well—earning a C- overall. The biggest point of contention? Their decision-making at cornerback.

Sobleski didn't mince words when breaking down the Chiefs' draft strategy. "The team traded a former first-team All-Pro in Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams for a first-round pick, then used its earlier first-round pick, plus a trade-up, to select the incoming class's best corner, Mansoor Delane," he wrote. The move raised eyebrows because, while Delane is a talented prospect, the logic behind swapping a proven star for a rookie—and giving up draft capital to do it—seems counterintuitive to many analysts.

Interestingly, Sobleski sees more value in the Chiefs' second-round pick: "Kansas City's second-round selection of R Mason Thomas could produce a greater impact by providing much-needed juice to the defense's pass rush." That pick, along with the signing of running back Kenneth Walker III, drew some praise. But the lingering sting of McDuffie's departure continues to overshadow the team's efforts to rebuild its secondary.

The Chiefs' draft board reflected a clear defensive focus, with Veach's first four selections all coming on that side of the ball. Yet, as the criticism suggests, replacing a player of McDuffie's caliber is no small task—especially when the team is still searching for its next identity in the defensive backfield.

For Chiefs fans, this draft class may take time to prove its worth. But for now, the 2026 offseason grades are in, and the message is clear: Kansas City's gamble on a new-look secondary comes with risks that analysts aren't shy about pointing out.