For good reason, we need to go into a bit of detective mode when evaluating pre-draft news conferences.

Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach spoke to reporters Thursday, and as expected, he was guarded with his words. It makes sense; if Veach reveals too much, he risks losing leverage with other NFL teams that might be looking to trade up or back during next week’s draft.

That doesn’t mean Veach said nothing, though. Here are five hints Veach dropped Thursday that offer some insight into how the Chiefs will approach the draft.

1. Could the Chiefs wait for an edge rusher?

So much of what the Chiefs do with the No. 9 pick will be determined by what other teams do in front of them.

However, Veach offered optimism they could find an edge rusher later in the draft if things fell that way.

“I think D-end is solid through (rounds) 2, 2 1/2, maybe even 3,” Veach said.

The Chiefs have been linked often with Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 9, and he certainly could come into play in that spot.

That choice wouldn’t be in a vacuum, though. Veach estimated 12 defensive ends visited the team’s facility for top-30 visits, as the Chiefs sought extensive evaluations of players with similar scouting grades.

It doesn’t rule out K.C.’s going for a Bain or David Bailey of Texas Tech. But it also suggests the Chiefs seem prepared to address this position later in the draft if the board takes them in that direction.

2. The reality at offensive tackle

Though Veach didn’t completely rule out taking an offensive tackle at No. 9, he seemed to indicate the Chiefs would be much more likely to target a player at that position with their 29th pick.

Specifically, Veach anticipated there could be a “massive run” on offensive tackles between the 10th pick and the early second round.

“There’s some talent there, but I do think it dries up quickly,” Veach said of the offensive tackles, “and by (pick) 35, it could be slim pickings.”

We can’t rule out the Chiefs trading back from No. 29 — the early second round seems to be a strong area of depth for this draft — but if Veach is going to select an offensive tackle, the late first/early second round seems like the sweet spot.

3. An option we can’t rule out at No. 9

Veach was asked a separate question about signing free-agent safety Alohi Gilman, when he might’ve tipped his hand about the Chiefs’ thoughts on another player.

“With Alohi, just having, over the years, having a Tyrann Mathieu, then having a Justin Reid, just having a cerebral player there that sees the field, can be a leader back there, get everyone lined up. We lost Bryan Cook, too,” Veach said of his team’s safety position. “And look, it doesn’t mean we won’t add if we can get a similar player that has those leadership capabilities back there.”

Who best fits the description of that last sentence? Most likely Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, who is considered a top-10 pick but could fall to the Chiefs at No. 9.

The Chiefs have bigger positional needs than safety — defensive end, receiver and defensive tackle are a few — but, in general, on Thursday, Veach didn’t rule out the possibility of taking a non-premium position early.

“I think our goal is to just make that selection and add a player here that is going to be an impact player on our team,” Veach said. “And I know it’s cliche-ish, but to really just add the best player available, right? You hear that all the time. But I don’t want to overthink that, and I don’t want to take a lesser player. Just someone that’s going to come in here, be an impact player, help us from day one. I think that’s extremely important to us.”

4. A Veach prediction, and what it might mean

Veach says one positive he sees from first-round player grades being so close this season is that “the fans will be in for a treat next Thursday.”

The reason? Veach thinks this tight grouping of prospects up top will lead to more trades.

“I think it should be an entertaining night, and look, there’ll probably be a lot of trades, and I think that’s what a draft like this — when you don’t have two or three franchise quarterbacks and a (top-of-the-draft edge rusher like) Will Anderson or Myles Garrett — I think it does lend itself to open up to a lot of fun, a lot of excitement,” Veach said. “So I think, from a fan’s perspective, they should have a lot of fun next Thursday.”

What Veach didn’t say, but is probably true? If he’s anticipating a lot of trades, it’s likely because he has received quite a few calls from teams looking to navigate up or down the draft board.

The Chiefs — picking ninth this year as opposed to the end of the first round like so many others — should have the potential to get more creative this year on deals than they might’ve been in the past.

5. The ‘pockets,’ as the Chiefs see them

When Veach was asked to describe the position depth of this year’s draft, he spoke highly of defensive end and wide receiver.

At edge rusher, Veach said the team saw talented players “throughout the board.” The wideout group, meanwhile, includes some strong prospects through the middle rounds.

In addition, cornerbacks had “moderate” depth throughout the draft, Veach said, with a few good ones sprinkled in each round. The overall running backs group was thin.

One positive for the Chiefs? With nine selections — and the fifth-highest draft capital of any team, according to some analytical calculators — the team has plenty of flexibility if a good player unexpectedly slips.

“I think having the picks and the amount that we do,” Veach said, “it’ll give us a chance to navigate the board a little bit.”