Nick Bolton's Cryptic Comments Raise Questions About Chiefs Future

Nick Bolton is the Chiefs' vocal leader on defense and one of Steve Spagnuolo's favorite players, though recent comments make it sound like this could be the last season we see Bolton in Kansas City.

He's one of the most important Chiefs entering a contract year, giving Brett Veach difficult decisions to make. Bolton is due for an expensive extension, and his eventual price may be too much for the Chiefs considering the other deals they'll have to make.

When a player is asked about a possible extension before training camp, they typically express optimism and a desire to stay, hoping to avoid any distractions during the season. However, Bolton went a different route.

Nick Bolton Dismisses Contract Extension Talk

In an interview with The Draft Network, Bolton turned the subject to the team's quest for a three-peat, illustrating his focus but also raising questions about his future.

"I don't want to talk extension before training camp," said Bolton. "We have one goal in mind right now, and that's being the first team to ever win three Super Bowls in a row. That's our mindset. I'll let my contract handle itself after our season. I want to just go out there and play the best football I can play. I'm hoping at the end of the year, we can say we're the first team ever to win three in a row."

It's an admirable mindset, though it's surprising Bolton doesn't want the immediate security an extension could give him, especially given he missed games due to injury last season. Betting on himself could prove more profitable but increases the likelihood that any massive payday comes from a different team.

Roquon Smith is the NFL's highest-paid linebacker at $20 million per year. The Chiefs likely won't want to pay top dollar for Bolton, so he'll either have to find a new home or accept a discount. Either Bolton underwhelms and the Chiefs get him at a decent value, or he excels and prices himself out of Brett Veach's preferred range.

It's difficult to imagine a scenario in which Kansas City can keep all of Bolton, Creed Humphrey, and Trey Smith. I've believed Bolton and Humphrey were the most likely to be extended but if Bolton has an excellent season, he might be the one to get his money elsewhere.

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