Danny Trevathan Signing Means Likely End for Nick Kwiatkoski with Bears

The Chicago Bears will have their defensive leader back, but it's likely to come at the cost of losing one of their home-grown talents.

The Chicago Bears reached agreement on a three-year deal with inside linebacker Danny Trevathan on Thursday night, most likely indicating the end of Nick Kwiatkoski's time in Chicago.

According to a league source, Trevathan received $14 million guaranteed. The overall deal is for $21.75 million.

Trevathan would have been an unrestricted free agent if he hadn't been signed.

"Bringing Danny back is a key re-signing for us," Bears GM Ryan Pace said in a statement released by the team. "Not only is he a great inside linebacker and great leader on our team, he is a big part of our culture. We are proud to have him under contract in Chicago for three more seasons.”

The reason it means an end for Kwiatkoski is he is an unrestricted free agent and to return to Chicago would mean he would be sitting on the bench again behind Roquan Smith and Trevathan. Kwiatkoski will likely be pursued heavily when the free agency period begins, and rumors from Green Bay say the Packers are hoping to sign him to replace free agent linebacker Blake Martinez.

Trevathan has been the emotional leader and field general for the defense going back to 2016 when he left Denver after winning a Super Bowl.

His presence has been felt most on the ground, but 17 missed games due to injuries and one to suspension had made it unclear whether the Bears would pursue him as his contract was expiring.

In 2016, Trevathan came to the Bears as a free agent and missed seven games due to injuries. The Bears allowed 154 yards a game on the ground in the seven games Trevathan missed. In the nine games he played, they allowed 96.9 yards on the ground.

The same situation was true in 2017. He missed a game due to suspension and three more with injuries. The Bears allowed 140 yards a game on the ground without him and 97 with him playing 12 games.

Last year Kwiatkoski seemed to blossom and the defense didn't miss Trevathan as much when he was out, but they had other injuries to Akiem Hicks and Roquan Smith that combined to drag down their effort.

Trevathan was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2018 when he played the full season for a Bears defense ranked first in fewest points allowed and run defense. Although he's been a ferocious tackler on the inside, Trevathan has never led the Bears in tackles. Roquan Smith led the last two years, Christian Jones led in 2017 and Jerrell Freeman in 2016.

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