By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Linebacker Nick Bolton is resigning with the Kansas City Chiefs on a three year deal worth $45 million, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter today.
He joined the Chiefs in 2021 as a second-round draft pick out of Missouri. He became an immediate contributor, starting 12 games as a rookie and finishing with 112 tackles. He became a full-time starter in 2022, and made 180 tackles, with two sacks and two interceptions in the regular season. His signature play that season was a 36-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVII win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bolton started 16 games this past regular season, registering 106 tackles and recording a career-high three sacks. He then started all three games in the postseason, recording 20 tackles.
Bolton has 559 tackles and 37 tackles for loss in his career, including playoffs. The other four players with 550-plus tackles and 35-plus TFLs over their first four seasons (including playoffs) since 2000, per NFL Research, combined for 10 first-team All-Pro selections in those spans -- Luke Kuechly, Lavonte David, NaVorro Bowman, and Patrick Willis.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.