*****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

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Couldn’t this argument be emphasized with Leo Chenal? The guy is arguably the most vital player to our run defense. He’s destroying the running lanes allowing guys like Bolton to get unblocked.

Idk man I’m thinking we need to keep that guy somehow. He’s the strongest guy on the team and is extremely important to coverage schemes.

He’s pretty much a DL in a LB’s body. We are gonna put him on the DL to simulate a Bear front and he’s one of the most athletic LB’s in the league.

Feels like the run defense would take a massive hit losing him.

Maybe.

But he ain't a pending FA just yet.

And, let's not overstate his impact either. Nick Bolton took 388 snaps in run defense this year.

Leo Chenal took 219. That's only 10 more than Mike Danna.

No, he's not the most important part of our run defense because he's not even on the field for half the carries we face. I'd like to try to keep him, absolutely.

But let's not act like he's even CLOSE to as important to this run defense as Nick Bolton is.

[Smed1065]

Recognizing and reactionary sometimes. Cant train that usually kinda like Patrick.

[Straight, No Chaser]

Originally Posted by Bl00dyBizkitz

If it wasn't for him, I'd be extremely worried about Barkley and the whole Eagles offense. I think he's that important.

can win, and win comfortably with Spags & Bolton having a day. Nick’s best game as a pro = three peat.

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by Smed1065

Killing folks after the SB?

Wasn't that after the AFCCG tho?

[Chargem]

Still on the fence about Bolton. For all the "quarterback of the defense" talk, there was a pretty good sample size from last year with and without Bolton and the defense was as good without as with.

He also had a pretty rough start to the season that has now been forgotten, he got exploited in like 3 games towards the start of the year (definitely Ravens, I think Bengals and one other?).

Like others have said, probably just comes down to the money. I would like him to stick around but I really hope they don't overpay.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

#Chiefs LB coach Brendan Daly told me ... "I don't even want to think about life without Nick Bolton."

Bolton is set to be a free agent after Sunday. His photographic memory (yes you read that correctly) combined with his recognition ability and his communication skills make…

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) February 5, 2025

He’s not going anywhere….

We may not like the $$$, but they are very clearly going to prioritize him over Trey and Reid.

[Titty Meat]

Bolton is this years Chirs Jones. For some reason draftubators had a weird obsession with letting Jones walk so they could cosplay as GM's and give terrible replacements. They are doing the same with Bolton

[Smed1065]

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

Wasn't that after the AFCCG tho?

SB 34.
Lewis, currently an analyst on Fox Sports, was celebrating with a group of friends the morning after Super Bowl 34, during which the Rams beat the Titans on Jan. 30, 2000. Then a linebacker with the Ravens, Lewis had only gone through four years in the NFL, all in Baltimore.
Early in the morning of Jan. 31, 2000, two men were stabbed and killed by members of Lewis' entourage during a brawl in Atlanta.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

#Chiefs LB coach Brendan Daly told me ... "I don't even want to think about life without Nick Bolton."

Bolton is set to be a free agent after Sunday. His photographic memory (yes you read that correctly) combined with his recognition ability and his communication skills make…

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) February 5, 2025

He’s not going anywhere….

We may not like the $$$, but they are very clearly going to prioritize him over Trey and Reid.

Remains to be seen obviously, but I think that would be the right move.

Trey has priced himself out of our market.

I was surprised to find out Reid is only 27. Feels like the dude should be, like, 31.. I wouldn’t mind them working something out with him but I feel like he’s a bit more replaceable than Bolton.

[Dunerdr]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

Bolton is this years Chirs Jones. For some reason draftubators had a weird obsession with letting Jones walk so they could cosplay as GM's and give terrible replacements. They are doing the same with Bolton

I like to let Trey walk and dress like Kevin Costner wtf is it to you pal?

[Hammock Parties]

Every player with 550+ Tackles and 35+ TFLs in their first 4 seasons in the league since 2000:

- Luke Kuechly (3 All-Pro Selections & 3 Pro Bowls in first 4 seasons)

- Patrick Willis (3 All-Pro Selections & 4 Pro Bowls in first 4 seasons)

- NaVorro Bowman (3 All-Pro Selections & 2 Pro Bowls in first 4 seasons)

- Lavonte David (1 All-Pro Selection & 1 Pro Bowl in first 4 seasons)

- Nick Bolton (0 All-Pro Selections & 0 Pro Bowls in first 4 seasons)

[crispystl]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Absolutely. I'd certainly much rather keep Chanal than a guy like Tranquil.

Is Tranquil a free agent? I hope so I can't wait to get rid of his ass. If Conner, Cook or Nazeeh aren't getting picked on it's always Tranquil.

I've always thought is was funny when they made such a big deal out of Pacheco calling for Tranquil in the pass blocking drill in camp. Dude is soft AF. you want a challenge blocking someone try Bolton or Chenal, because small WRs can block Tranquil's weak ass.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by crispystl

Is Tranquil a free agent? I hope so I can't wait to get rid of his ass. If Conner, Cook or Nazeeh aren't getting picked on it's always Tranquil.

I've always thought is was funny when they made such a big deal out of Pacheco calling for Tranquil in the pass blocking drill in camp. Dude is soft AF. you want a challenge blocking someone try Bolton or Chenal, because small WRs can block Tranquil's weak ass.

No - we're locked into him for one more year unless someone wants to trade for him. He has like $7 million guaranteed this year.

Tranquill is gonna be around a year longer than he needs to be. It's been fine having him this year, but I feel like he's declined enough this year that we'll kinda regret leaning heavily into him next year.

He's no reasonable option to replace Bolton, that's for damn sure.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

No - we're locked into him for one more year unless someone wants to trade for him. He has like $7 million guaranteed this year.

Tranquill is gonna be around a year longer than he needs to be. It's been fine having him this year, but I feel like he's declined enough this year that we'll kinda regret leaning heavily into him next year.

He's no reasonable option to replace Bolton, that's for damn sure.

Tranquil was fine last year running next to Willie and Nick but even then....I dunno. Wasn't a huge fan.

[crispystl]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

No - we're locked into him for one more year unless someone wants to trade for him. He has like $7 million guaranteed this year.

Tranquill is gonna be around a year longer than he needs to be. It's been fine having him this year, but I feel like he's declined enough this year that we'll kinda regret leaning heavily into him next year.

He's no reasonable option to replace Bolton, that's for damn sure.

I will never understand why they paid Tranquil and let Gay walk, but obviously they know wtf they're doing. It really makes you wonder is there was some truth to that rumor that claimed we had a trade in place for Gay and we signed Tranquil to take his place.