Key Defender Walks Away from KC in Latest Free Agency Prediction

The final stretch of the 2024 NFL season is finally here, meaning it won't be much longer before the postseason arrives. The Kansas City Chiefs have their sights set on another potential Super Bowl run, leaving time to tell if Andy Reid & Co. have what it takes to pull off the league's first championship three-peat.

While a good chunk of Chiefs Kingdom is focused on the upcoming playoffs, others are already looking beyond that. It won't be much longer before free agency opens up and general manager Brett Veach will have to decide what he wants to do with Kansas City's 18 pending unrestricted free agents.

Although the Chiefs might re-sign several players before they hit the open market, one NFL analyst is predicting that a certain key defender will leave Kansas City in March.

Chiefs Rumors: LB Nick Bolton Could Sign with the Rams

On Monday, Bleacher Reporter's NFL Scouting Department released some offseason predictions. NFC scout Matt Holder predicted that the L.A. Rams would be a good fit for Chiefs free agent linebacker Nick Bolton if he doesn't return to the defending Super Bowl Champions.

"Linebacker has been one of the (Rams) defense's biggest weaknesses this season," Holder wrote. "Bolton will probably be the top backer on the open market. He's an impressive run defender... and doesn't turn 25 until March"

Bolton, 24, is playing in the final year of his rookie contract, which carries a $3.5 million cap hit this season. Needless to say, he's due for a major pay raise after the impact he's proven he can make on the gridiron.

Heading into Week 16, Bolton had racked up 66 solo tackles, four broken-up passes, three sacks, one interception, and a fumble recovery across 14 appearances this season. His 64.0 overall defense grade ranks 41st among 83 linebackers on Pro Football Focus while his 64.1 coverage grade is the 19th-best mark at his position.

The Rams have been one of the worst tackling teams this season, tallying a 39.4 tackle grade thus far (27th). It makes sense why they'd want a tackler LB like Bolton to help improve that area, especially given that L.A. also has just five LBs under contract for the 2025 campaign.

Losing Bolton would certainly hurt the Chiefs' defense. However, it remains to be seen if they can afford to keep him.

After all, Spotrac lists Veach as only having about $21.4 million to work with this offseason. For comparison, the Rams will enter free agency with around $57.7 million to spend, meaning they have a better chance of matching any salary increase Bolton is looking for.

Since being drafted 58th overall by the Chiefs in 2021, Bolton has gone on to solidify himself as one of the NFL's top linebackers. The ex-Ole Miss product has since played 55 games in a Kansas City jersey, amassing 282 solo tackles, 13 defended passes, four INTs, five sacks, and a forced fumble while also playing a role in the franchise's last two title runs.

Chiefs fans will know more about what Bolton's future looks like the closer we get to free agency, which opens at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 13.

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