Earlier today on March 9, the Kansas City Chiefs came to terms on a massive three-year, $45 million agreement with middle linebacker Nick Bolton — per ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, among others. It included $30 million “fully guaranteed at signing.”
While this is great news for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and all of Chiefs Kingdom, few were more excited than superstar defensive lineman and teammate Chris Jones.
“Let’s gooooooo! 🤟🏾💪🏾” Jones commented on X, quoting the Bolton news.
And according to those covering the team, there’s good reason to be as pumped as Jones about Bolton’s new deal.
Nick Bolton’s Presence Within Chiefs Defense Is Invaluable to DC Steve Spagnuolo
One could argue that Bolton and Jones have been the two most important players on the Chiefs defense since the former entered the league as a second-round selection in 2021. And their respective influence on this unit goes well beyond the stat sheet.
“Every player on the Chiefs defense will tell you that Nick Bolton is Steve Spagnuolo’s favorite, and there is a reason,” Chiefs Digest insider Matt Derrick relayed after getting wind of the reunion. “The complexity of the KC defense is completely dependent on the MIKE linebacker. If you trust in Spags, in Bolton you trust too.”
Similarly, A-to-Z Sports Kansas City reporter Charles Goldman stressed why this is a win-win all around for KC and their defensive team leader.
“Spags gets to keep his guy at MLB. Bolton gets to continue playing in an area he considers to be home. [Plus] Chiefs keep him off a 2025 free agency market where he was expected to have other suitors in the AFC West,” Goldman noted.
At age 25 tomorrow on March 10, the new contract serves as a nice early birthday present for Bolton. Entering year five of his NFL career, the linebacker has already won two Super Bowls while also forcing 6 turnovers and accumulating 458 regular season tackles (32 for a loss), 17 regular season QB hits and 15 regular season pass defenses.
In the playoffs alone, Bolton has racked up an additional 102 total tackles (5 for a loss), 3 QB hits, 2 pass defenses and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Not All Chiefs Fans Are Thrilled With Nick Bolton’s Contract
Although Jones and most of the KC community appear to be very happy with this move, some seemed to question this allocation of resources — especially after the Joe Thuney trade.
“The Chiefs let an all-pro guard out the door so they can pay Nick Bolton $15M/APY,” Arrowhead Addict contributor Price Carter wrote on X.
He followed up by explaining his take on the deal, stating: “The Nick Bolton contract feels like one that has a very low chance of failing but very low chance of being a bargain. High floor. Low ceiling.”
Other KC fans shared Carter’s opinion, but on the flip side, some felt Bolton’s impact is being sold short.
“The Chiefs drafted and developed Nick Bolton and won two Super Bowls with him leading their defense and some of you are out here acting like he’s the second coming of Junior Siavii,” a different Arrowhead Addict contributor, Patrick Allen, weighed in. “I think this Spags guy might know what he’s doing.”
Colleague Adam Best also ranted: “The Nick Bolton discourse is annoying. Chiefs fans either say he sucks or is the second coming of Ray Lewis. The truth is he’s a very good linebacker with a few clear weaknesses (like sideline-to-sideline speed). He’s one of the smarter players in the league and it’s pretty clear Spags wanted him back to lead the defense. Always seemed doubtful that Spags would let both Bolton and Justin Reid leave. Would really impact communication. Limit all the complex, exotic looks they like to dial up. They picked the younger, more difficult to replace option. There’s a pretty healthy safety market out there.”
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