3 Nick Bolton Replacements the Chiefs Must Target Ahead of the Trade Deadline

The Chiefs defense suffered a major blow today when it was announced that star middle linebacker Nick Bolton needs surgery after dislocating his wrist and will miss approximately two months.

While the team is confident in Drue Tranquill's ability to fill Bolton's role, Kansas City suddenly has little depth at linebacker. Given how difficult the upcoming schedule is, Bolton's absence will be a significant test for the AFC's most suffocating defense.

To protect the Chiefs' Super Bowl chances and give the organization insurance in case another player gets hurt, let's look at three Nick Bolton replacements the team must target ahead of next week's trade deadline on Halloween.

3 Nick Bolton Replacements the Chiefs Must Target

1. Jordan Hicks - Minnesota Vikings

Hicks is a logical target on the final year of his deal with a Vikings team that should be sellers at the deadline.

With at least 110 tackles each of the last four seasons, Hicks could step right into Bolton's role as a high-volume tackler capable of forcing turnovers. He's already got 53 tackles and a pair of fumble recoveries this year with 13 career interceptions as well.

He's strong in pass coverage and was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week following a Week 6 victory over the Bears, showing he's still capable of excellent play despite Minnesota's defensive struggles.

At 31 years old on an expiring deal, Hicks shouldn't cost the Chiefs a ton of draft capital were Brett Veach to inquire. Pro Football Focus recently proposed a trade to the Cowboys for a fifth-round pick, which would be worth the investment to ensure Kansas City's defense remains elite.

Hicks would be my top target, but he's not the only linebacker that could make a positive impact on the team.

2. Monty Rice - Tennessee Titans

A 2021 third-round pick, Rice fits the mold of a Brett Veach archetype. He was a solid prospect that suffered injuries early in his career and now fights for playing time on a stout defense.

He's only got five tackles in limited snaps on the season so it likely wouldn't take much to pry him away from the Titans. Undrafted free agent Jack Gibbons has flashed for Tennessee, making Rice an expendable asset.

Rice was an extremely productive player in a four-year career at Georgia, amassing 219 career tackles while showcasing an impressive blend of physicality and speed that the Chiefs could tap into.

He earned first-team All-SEC honors his senior year and it's easy to imagine him pairing with Tranquill and Willie Gay Jr. to form one of the more athletic linebacking trios in the league until Bolton returns. At the least, Rice could provide quality depth as he learns under Steve Spagnuolo to reinvigorate his career.

With the Titans sitting in last place in the AFC South, jumpstarting the rebuild by selling players who fell out of favor makes a ton of sense.

While Rice would represent a project, this last potential linebacker target would immediately become the most accomplished linebacker on the team.

3. Devin White - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I don't expect the Bucs to trade White given their 3-3 record, but it's a logical decision if they don't intend to resign him this offseason.

The fifth-overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, White helped hand the Chiefs a Super Bowl loss in 2020, a year he was named second-team All-Pro. After compiling at least 124 tackles each of the last three seasons, he's got only 38 through six weeks while seeing his snap count decrease.

Acquiring White would likely only be worth the draft compensation if Kansas City planned to resign him instead of Bolton. That makes this potential trade less likely, but he's still the best linebacker that could be available before next week's deadline.

White is fully capable of All-Pro play even as he's declined a touch. Pairing him with the rest of the Chiefs' stellar defenders could help the defense stay dominant even while Bolton recovers.

Figuring out the rotation in the playoffs would be a challenge, but that's the best kind of problem to have.

The Chiefs don't have much time to make a move. If one thing is certain, it's that Veach will exhaust every option to ensure Kansas City's defense doesn't miss a beat.

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