'Expect Big Things' – Nick Bolton Named Top 10 LB Entering 2024

Even after a tumultuous 2023 campaign, CBS Sports isn't backing away from showing Bolton some love this offseason.

Dec 31, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) celebrates after a play against the Cincinnati Bengals during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Thanks to some considerable investments from general manager Brett Veach, the Kansas City Chiefs' linebacker room was one of the NFL's deepest last season. Even after the departure of Willie Gay Jr. in free agency, the rotation remains formidable and should contribute to the success of Steve Spagnuolo's defense in 2024.

Leading the way is Nick Bolton, who was recently shown some love in a ranking of the league's top linebackers entering this season.

In a recent article for CBS Sports, Jordan Dajani dove into a list of the 20 best off-ball linebackers in all of football. Bolton occupied the seventh overall spot, with Dajani focusing more on a current-year projection than a last-year reflection.

"Bolton missed nine games last season, and I still think he's underrated," Dajani wrote. "In 2022, Bolton recorded 180 combined tackles (second among all players), two sacks and three passes defensed to go along with two interceptions. He could have won Super Bowl MVP in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles, as he recorded nine combined tackles and a fumble recovery he took back for a touchdown. Now, he's in a contract year, so expect big things in 2024."

C.J. Mosley of the New York Jets finished sixth, one spot ahead of Bolton. Here's the top five on Dajani's list:

• 5: Matt Milano (Buffalo Bills)
• 4: Quincy Williams (New York Jets)
• 3: Demario Davis (New Orleans Saints)
• 2: Roquan Smith (Baltimore Ravens)
• 1: Fred Warner (San Francisco 49ers)

A No. 7 ranking may be a bit too high for Bolton, but he can justify it in 2024-25

Please don't confuse me being slightly puzzled by Bolton's ranking with implying that he isn't a solid player. The former second-round pick has lived up to his draft slot, providing Kansas City with a whopping 352 regular-season tackles and nine passes broken up since joining the team. Additionally, as Dajani mentioned, he had excellent moments in Super Bowl LVII and is a big-time playoff playmaker. Despite missing over half of last season, he returned with a club on his hand and finished things out while contributing at a very respectable level. Bolton is an on-field coach for Spagnuolo and deserves credit for it.

With that said, there are some deficiencies in Bolton's game, some of which are evident in the box score and some aren't. As a run defender, the Missouri product is inconsistent in his ability to shed his assignment. He gets washed out of plays a bit too often to be considered a premier player. In pass coverage, Bolton's lack of great lateral athleticism is glaringly obvious. The addition of Drue Tranquill, a more well-rounded player who's hands-down better in coverage, helped that aspect in 2023.

Bolton's proclivity for game-altering plays was also diminished last year. In eight games, he had just one quarterback hit and one tackle for loss with zero forced fumbles. A great deal of his impact comes well beyond the line of scrimmage, yet he's heralded as an aggressive downhill stopper. Again, having Tranquill in the fold helps maximize his strengths and minimize those weaknesses, but ignoring them altogether isn't a fair assessment.

Luckily for Bolton, he'll have ample opportunity to shape the narrative around him in 2024. Now on the heels of a healthy offseason, the 24-year-old is entering the biggest season of his career. The late, great Terez Paylor once told us that the contract year is undefeated, thus raising the stakes. Bolton may not be ready for extension talks right now, but rest assured knowing he'll do everything in his power to be at his best and play like a top-seven linebacker in year No. 4.

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