*****The Nick Bolton Thread*****

[Dante84]

More to come!

Bolton played in all 13 games as a true freshman (22 tackles, one sack) after earning Dallas Morning News first-team all-state honors at Lone Star High School (130 tackles, 16 for loss, five interceptions). He went from promising youngster to SEC star in 2019, earning first-team all-conference honors after leading the league with 8.9 tackles per game (107 total, 7.5 for loss), intercepting two passes and breaking up eight others in 12 starts. He was named second-team Associated Press All-American, first-team All-SEC and a Butkus Award finalist in 2020, leading his defense with 95 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss (including two sacks), while breaking up five passes in 10 starts. Bolton's father, Carlos, played football at Louisiana Tech. -- by Chad Reuter

Overview
When you think about strong, forceful inside linebackers, Bolton is the type of player you might be envisioning. He's going to fall below typical NFL starter standards from a size standpoint, but his rugged frame and forceful demeanor help make up for it. Play recognition and pursuit instincts help carry him to the football and he's a message-sending striker when he gets the runner squared up. He has functional short-area burst between the tackles but will struggle to run down the outside run if he's not close enough to the action. He will need to lean heavier on his instincts to help speed him up because of size and speed limitations. Bolton plays with good field recognition when dropping into zone and has a history of making plays on the football in coverage. He's a three-down linebacker who can make an immediate contribution on special teams and has the potential to become a future starter.
Strengths

• Very tough with a physical edge.
• Plays with demeanor teams look for in the middle.
• Field-savvy with instincts to diagnose misdirection.
• Identifies and communicates.
• Heavy hands with good pop to take on blocks.
• Pursues ball-carrier with patience and leverage.
• Fluid alterations to his pursuit angles.
• Excellent feel for attack timing downhill.
• Meets runners with violent collisions in the hole.
• Strikes like he's trying to send a message.
• Great awareness and ballhawking as spot dropper.
• Has enough man-cover talent to play on all three downs.
• Thrived on kick- and punt-cover teams early in his career.

Weaknesses

• Average lateral quickness traps him behind climbing blocks.
• Inconsistent to strike and separate from blockers.
• Needs to improve angles to elude box traffic.
• Might need to take a few more chances as a pro.
• Top-end speed appears below average.
• Loses ground when pursuit flows wide.
• Below-average lateral agility as open-field tackler.
• Will have to play quicker to deal with NFL slashers.

.@_nickbolton2 gets the call from One Arrowhead Drive �� pic.twitter.com/1XgaCeBy8R

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 1, 2021

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I agree. You can always surround him with speed but his brains are invaluable to this defense.

That’s what Spags loves so much about him.

[RunKC]

Yeah he’s gonna want at least $14-15 million APY. The problem for him is that he’s never been a pro bowler or all pro so his argument isn’t exactly strong.

I think you stick to a hard line of $14-15 million APY with a backloaded structured contract that allows you to make the cap hits lower the first 2-3 years then have a way out when he gets expensive.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

I've been noticing a lot lately that we are one of the only defenses who can consistently audible to an offense's audible. We go check for check at the LOS a ton and that's gotta be a Bolton thing on some level.

That makes him worth more than just the $9-10M you'd probably pay him as a player. They gotta find the line somewhere, it isn't $20M. But he's worth more than $10M.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Yeah he’s gonna want at least $14-15 million APY. The problem for him is that he’s never been a pro bowler or all pro so his argument isn’t exactly strong.

I think you stick to a hard line of $14-15 million APY with a backloaded structured contract that allows you to make the cap hits lower the first 2-3 years then have a way out when he gets expensive.

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

I've been noticing a lot lately that we are one of the only defenses who can consistently audible to an offense's audible. We go check for check at the LOS a ton and that's gotta be a Bolton thing on some level.

That makes him worth more than just the $9-10M you'd probably pay him as a player. They gotta find the line somewhere, it isn't $20M. But he's worth more than $10M.

4/$60 million just seems like an easy sweet spot. You guarantee $40 million of that over the first 3 years, final year base of $20 million is unguaranteed.

But the reason I get a little wary here is that if it's THAT easy...why hasn't it gotten done? Bolton wants to stay here, Spags obviously wants to keep him. If it's as easy as I think it should be - why hasn't it gotten done by now?

He's more valuable to this team than he is any other team in football, IMO. It would be a disservice to both player AND team for him to leave because someone is offering him $17 million/season.

Which makes me wonder if he doesn't think someone may be willing to offer him $20 million. Or maybe if we have only offered him $12 million. Something has to be creating the disconnect. It can't be as easy as I think it is.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I agree. You can always surround him with speed but his brains are invaluable to this defense.

Best instincts I have ever seen from a Chiefs defender.

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by tredadda

That’s what Spags loves so much about him.

Yup. Spags has said many times that Nick is the single smartest player that he's ever coached. He's been a huge part of why the defense has made such great adjustments in games.

So I think for that alone he needs to come back, and again, someone told me as long as Spags is here that there will be a big push to keep Nick.

I know you can replace him with a guy that is a better athlete but man, the dude literally makes in game adjustments and it's why the defense gets better every quarter.

[Bl00dyBizkitz]

I told y'all.

He's the reason Spags can run his defense the way he wants to. Do you really want to give that up?

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

Yup. Spags has said many times that Nick is the single smartest player that he's ever coached. He's been a huge part of why the defense has made such great adjustments in games.

So I think for that alone he needs to come back, and again, someone told me as long as Spags is here that there will be a big push to keep Nick.

I know you can replace him with a guy that is a better athlete but man, the dude literally makes in game adjustments and it's why the defense gets better every quarter.

Mentioned this before but I went to the first Texans game and every snap Nick was talking to the defense relaying information. He wa basically tipping guys on what play was coming and which way it was coming.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

I imagine Spagnuolo feels he's the best extension of his own brain on the field since at least Antonio Pierce.

No, he isn't going to wanna let that go.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Wasn't it the Super Bowl last year when Spags credited Nick for wanting to run the McDuffie pressure on 3rd-and-4 that effectively got us the stop we needed to give the ball back to Mahomes?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

I imagine Spagnuolo feels he's the best extension of his own brain on the field since at least Antonio Pierce.

No, he isn't going to wanna let that go.

that's why I think it would be such a bummer for him to leave.

Spags doesn't just benefit from Bolton, Bolton benefits from being in such perfect harmony with his DC.

They just work REALLY well together.

[Bl00dyBizkitz]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

Wasn't it the Super Bowl last year when Spags credited Nick for wanting to run the McDuffie pressure on 3rd-and-4 that effectively got us the stop we needed to give the ball back to Mahomes?

He asked Bolton on the field about the corner blitz and looked directly at him waiting for the response. Bolton immediately felt good about the call and wanted to run it. Spags heavily based that decision on how Bolton felt about it, he had that much confidence in Bolton's opinion.

[chiefforlife]

If I recall, we didnt think we could keep Gay but then were shocked at what he signed for. Like way less than we thought he would get.

Maybe Bolton saw that too? I am all for paying the man for what he has accomplished and will continue to but like someone else said, he is far more valuable here than he would be to another team.

There is value in that, Bolton is smart enough to know that.

Fingers crossed.

[RedinTexas]

Originally Posted by chiefforlife

If I recall, we didnt think we could keep Gay but then were shocked at what he signed for. Like way less than we thought he would get.

Maybe Bolton saw that too? I am all for paying the man for what he has accomplished and will continue to but like someone else said, he is far more valuable here than he would be to another team.

There is value in that, Bolton is smart enough to know that.

Fingers crossed.

Unless Spags gets a job as a head coach and comes after Bolton.