Did the Chiefs do the right thing in parting with Hill?

The decision facing Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach at the end of last season was shocking and complicated.

Sign receiver Tyreek Hill long-term or trade him.

Two choices. Two opposite ways to chart the future of the franchise.

Veach thought about it for six weeks, knowing that fans wanted the dynamic playmaker to remain with the team, but that it would hit the team with salary cap problems for years to come.

In late March, Veach spoke by phone with his Miami Dolphins counterpart, Chris Grier, and they reached an agreement: Hill would head to Miami for a package of five draft picks–which the Chiefs would use to fortify their roster–and gain financial flexibility.

“We took a step back and decided, ‘How are we going to make things better on both sides?’ And so we decided it was the best thing for us and the best thing for Tyreek,” Veach indicated at the time. “It was the best scenario for both of us.”

That expression might be an understatement.

Veach ultimately used the capital in the draft and the financial freedom to restock the roster that will face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in their fifth consecutive American Conference Championship Game appearance.

The Chiefs used Miami’s first-round pick — after a trade with the New England Patriots — on Trent McDuffie, whose statistics are among the best for a rookie corner this season. The second-round pick–after another trade with the Patriots–was used on receiver Skyy Moore, who has been a versatile addition to the offense.

Equally important, the Chiefs used the money they would have paid Hill on other players: they signed wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, acquired deep Justin Reid, added veteran defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap and still had some left over.

“Brett does as well as few others in finding the people he thinks will fit on offense, defense and special teams and bringing them in,” cautioned head coach Andy Reid. “The coaching staff has complete confidence in him.”

It’s easy to trust given the results.

Hill had a great season with the Dolphins, setting personal bests with 119 receptions for 1,710 yards and seven touchdowns. Smith-Schuster finished with 78 receptions for 933 yards and three touchdowns, supplying Kansas City with 55 percent of Hill’s production at 14 percent of the cost.

Ten months later, it’s hard to argue that Veach didn’t make the right decision in trading Hill.