Could Chiefs Lose Nick Bolton to AFC West Rival?

The Kansas City Chiefs are actually entering an offseason full of questions, which sounds strange for a team that has made five Super Bowl appearances in the last six years.

The Chiefs don't exactly have a favorable cap situation going into free agency, which means they may have a difficult time landing impact players. They may also run into trouble retaining their own free agents.

One player who could ultimately be a goner for Kansas City next month is linebacker Nick Bolton, who will be one of the top guys available at his position.

To make matters worse, Bolton could end up signing with another AFC West club, and ESPN's Matt Bowen has named the Denver Broncos as the best fit for the 24-year-old.

"Bolton would be a big upgrade for Vance Joseph's defense in Denver," Bowen wrote. "Bolton fits with the Broncos as a downhill thumper against the run -- he had 11 tackles for loss last season. In coverage, Bolton lacks elite second-level range, but he has four career interceptions."

The Broncos are definitely no joke, as they went 10-7 this past season and are absolutely a team on the rise with Bo Nix at quarterback. They already have a stingy defense, and adding Bolton into the mix would make the defense even nastier.

Bolton is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he registered 106 tackles, three sacks, an interception, a forced fumble, a couple of fumble recoveries and six passes defended.

The University of Missouri product was selected by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft and instantly established himself as a key cog in their defense, rattling off 112 tackles during his rookei campaign.

The following year, Bolton truly broke out, racking up 180 tackles, a pair of sacks, two picks and a forced fumble, displaying his versatility across the board. He then missed half of 2023, but still managed to finish with 60 tackles and an interception.

Bolton would unquestionably represent a major loss for Kansas City's defense, and it would hurt even further to see him make the jump to a rival on the rise in the Mile High City.

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