Nick Bolton's contract comes with high expectations, the kind that would lead one to believe he's one of the best off-ball linebackers in the National Football League. Some voters are inclined to agree.
ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler is releasing a series of player rankings before the '26 season compiled by a survey of anonymous coaches, executives, and scouts from around the NFL. He recently asked about off-ball linebackers, and it wasn't a surprise to see Bolton earning respect once again.
Bolton came in at No. 8 this season overall, which represents a drop of four spots from the '25 edition. But a player is only part of a whole, and considering how the Chiefs took a nosedive in the standings overall, it's not hard to understand why Bolton's stock might shift simply by association. (The same can be true in the opposite direction.)
The range of votes had Bolton as high as No. 3 on at least one ballot and unranked on another. That sort of range was par for the course, however, as every single linebacker listed, save for two, in the top 10 was left off of someone's rankings entirely. That includes No. 2 overall, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith, who was No. 1 to one voter and not a top-10 player for another.
Bolton played in every single game last season for the Chiefs and racked up 154 total tackles in 17 starts. He deflected 6 passes, had 1 sack, and 1 interception. His 10 tackles for loss gave him two straight seasons with double-digits in that category. Bolton is an exception run-stopper whose intelligence and instincts make him a menace in the gaps. Pro Football Focus graded him as elite in that regard, with an 85.2 score (good for No. 10 among linebackers). More importantly, he was the 7th highest-graded linebacker overall.
The pay is commensurate with the performance at this point for Bolton, who is in the midst of a three-year, $45 million deal signed in 2025. His $15M average salary is tied for the 7th-highest for linebackers with both Jamien Sherwood of the New York Jets and Devin Lloyd of the Carolina Panthers.
Bolton's place among his peers is already high, but in a league that's trending back toward more imposing ground games, with heavier personnel groupings becoming more widely accepted, Bolton might find the league catering more to his skill set and away from asking him to take on more difficult coverage assignments. The Chiefs' remade secondary should also bring more versatile players who can help there, too.
Most importantly, Bolton is the on-field coach for the Chiefs' defense, the leader in the heart of it all tasked with communication. Steve Spagnuolo loves his presence in the second level for that reason, and the total package is why he's celebrated as one of the league's best year after year.
Add us as a preferred source on Google