Chiefs GM Veach provides injury updates, outlook on offensive line

Mar. 1—The upcoming weeks and months will see Brett Veach retool and revamp a Chiefs roster that has gone to back-to-back Super Bowls.

How much needs to happen depends on who the team retains and the health of veterans who dealt with injuries, though Veach provided positive news Monday.

Speaking to local media members via Zoom, Veach said the team is optimistic Patrick Mahomes, Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher will be healthy and able to return by training camp.

"We're hopeful (Schwartz and Fisher) can complete the rehab and be available for training camp and start the 2021 season," Veach said. "I would probably say Pat is ahead of them just because of that type of injury and probably a quicker recovery, but hopefully we'll have all three ready to go by training camp."

Mahomes had surgery following the Super Bowl for turf toe sustained in the Divisional Round against the Browns. Veach said he anticipates a three-month recovery that could see him return for mandatory minicamp.

Schwartz underwent surgery on a back disc in February that was aggravated in Week 6 and kept him out the remainder of the year.

The most surprising news came with a hopeful mid-August return for Fisher, the left tackle who tore his Achilles in the AFC Championship and had surgery in late January.

Veach said the Chiefs' optimism regarding Fisher's return is based on the projection of Rick Burkholder, who serves as the team's vice president of sports medicine and performance, and the Chiefs' medical staff.

"I think with that injury and with the time leading up for the season, Rick has here a mid-August return, and you know how that works," Veach said. "It's always 'to be determined' until the player actually reports back to camp and goes through the offseason and (we) see where he is.

"But I think the mid-August timeline was put in front of my notes, so I'll defer to Rick on that and trust his medical expertise."

Fisher and Schwartz bookend the offensive line group that appears to be the Chiefs' biggest question mark in 2021. The Chiefs expect Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and 2020 third-round pick Lucas Niang to rejoin the team this year, while Veach plans to fill gaps with in-house and external solutions.

"So you do like some of the young players and their progress and their development," Veach continued. "Andrew Wylie has shown that he can play at a consistent level when at that guard position. (Nick) Allegretti took a step forward. We're interested in getting (Lucas) Niang back. We have a nice blend of some young players who are continuing to get better and we think, will continue to improve. But certainly, our focus will be to bring in some new talent.

"From the offset here, the draft looks to be really talented on the offensive line. So I think it'll be a combination of what we have in-house and blending that in with some new talent. Potentially in free agency and potentially in the draft."

Brandon Zenner can be reached at brandon.zenner@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowZenner.