The Kansas City Chiefs made some major decisions this offseason to change the roster following a disappointing blowout in the Super Bowl. After years of successful drafts and trades, the bill came due and general manager Brett Veach was forced to make tough calls on beloved players.
Gone are Joe Thuney, Tershawn Wharton, Justin Reid, and Mecole Hardman, among others. Instead of keeping that group, the Chiefs prioritized an extension for linebacker Nick Bolton and franchise-tagged Trey Smith.
While Bolton is one of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's favorite players and his defensive leader, the size of Bolton's contract sets him up to fail, drawing ire from fans in the process.
Since entering the NFL in 2021, Nick Bolton has stuffed opposing rushers at or behind the line of scrimmage on 4.7% of his run defense snaps, leading all linebackers who have logged at least 1,000 snaps in run defense.@Chiefs | #ChiefsKingdom https://t.co/91rJjZPi3F pic.twitter.com/VSZ9s7HoM8
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 11, 2025
Nick Bolton's Contract Doomed to Hurt Chiefs Moving Forward
Kansas City inked Bolton to a three-year, $45 million deal with $30 guaranteed. There's a potential out after the second season, though Bolton now has the fifth-highest salary at the position, falling just behind Eagles All-Pro Zack Baun.
It's worth noting that Bolton is one of the best run defenders in the NFL and a homegrown talent. That said, his struggles in pass coverage are infamous and he ranked just 84th out of 189 qualified linebackers at Pro Football Focus in 2024. Compare that to someone like Drue Tranquill, who graded 78th despite making just around $6 million annually.
This move also robs the Chiefs of an opportunity to continue developing Leo Chenal. Pro Football Focus had him as the 11th-best linebacker in the sport though his path to playing time is limited with those two veterans in front of him. He's entering the last year of his rookie deal, so the organization has to decide if they want to prioritize keeping the versatile wrecking ball around as well.
Bolton deserved to stay. He's loved in the locker room and an excellent leader, but this price tag may prove to be too rich. If it prevents Kansas City from spending elsewhere, that only makes matters worse.
For Bolton, he has an uneven reputation among fans already. Should he struggle with heightened expectations, the good will he's built up could evaporate. This was a risky move for a deserving player, though there are plenty of warning signs to be concerned about.