Nick Bolton: The Chiefs have the pieces to be the NFL’s No. 1 defense

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

When Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton spoke after Friday’s practice at the team’s training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, he made no secret of his goal for this season: helping the Chiefs field the NFL’s best defense.

“We had a pretty good defense last year, in terms of efficiency,” he recalled. “We also want to be a top defense in this league. We’ve got the personnel, the players and the coaches to do so. That’s about executing week-to-week and giving us an opportunity

to win football games — to help our team win.

“Ultimately, we’ll get back to the end game, but I feel like we could be the No. 1 defense in this league. That’s my motivation as we keep going.”

The offseason has already brought Bolton good fortune. He signed new three-year contract for $45 million just before the start of free agency. On Wednesday, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo referred to Bolton as “the Patrick Mahomes of the defense.”

“We’ve been growing and learning over the last four years [with] each other,” Bolton said of his relationship with Spagnuolo, “and kind of figuring out what things we do well and what our personnel allows us to do. [We’re] trying to figure out the best way to make our 11 play the fastest. It’s just super cool that I have a coach ([and] a Hall of Fame head coach) that believes in me and helps uplift me when I don’t feel like I’m my best self — along with my teammates.

“So, we’re just going to keep building. Again, Spags is that type of guy — [a] super loving, big-hearted coach — and he puts all that confidence in his guys week-in and week-out. So he expects me to do the same thing. [He’s] just a father figure for everybody in the locker room.”

Retaining Bolton was one of several moves Kansas City made to retain homegrown defensive talent. The former Missouri Tiger believes the philosophy is paying dividends in team continuity, which he noticed at this offseason’s organized-team-activities (OTAs).

“I think that’s one of the biggest things for us,” he remarked, “is that we’ve had a lot of success in the last couple of years. We kind of have that same nucleus of coaches and players — and we keep building. [When] we came in at OTAs, we weren’t having to break stuff down to the very minute details.

“We picked up where we left off. [We] added some stuff here [and] changed some stuff there that would make us a better overall defense, but I feel we haven’t skipped a beat. I know what to expect when you’ve got a veteran group — a lot of guys that have played a lot of football together.

“You can see out there on the field communications and not having to yell out the signals... So being able to just look at each other and understand what we’re doing — and kind of read each other’s minds — becomes huge. I feel like we’ve been doing that.”

While this continuity will be an important key to the defense’s success, the Chiefs will still need contributions from their newcomers. Bolton has been impressed with what he’s seen from rookie defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott, who has rotated with the starters during the camp’s first week.

“He’s an intelligent guy,” Bolton observed of his new teammate. “He comes in there and he understands where he needs to be in defenses — and honestly, it’s the only thing you can ask for in the first couple of days. It’s not physical. A lot of stuff is mental — chin to the hairline — getting aligned, not having mental mistakes and doing what your job is supposed to [be]. He’s been doing that. I haven’t seen many [mental errors].

“He’s trusting me, listening to the linebacker’s communication and giving us visual keys when he gets it. [That’s] all you can ask for at this point, [so] he’s been great in that department.”

Bolton also thinks the linebacker group has another promising rookie: fifth-round selection Jeff Bassa.

“Jeff’s one of those guys [that] he’s got a unique skill set,” the veteran noted. “He does a lot of different things well. So, as we keep building, he’s going to learn his role.

“I was just talking to him. He’s a guy that’s real hard on himself, trying to be perfect, [but] it’s not the easiest game in the world to learn — especially as a rookie running multiple positions. So, we’ve just got to keep going every single day and give [him] a little confidence as we keep going.”

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Now with a life-changing contract (and already possessing two Super Bowl rings), Bolton has accomplished much in his short time in the league. But to be recognized as one of the league’s best defenders, he knows he can’t be complacent.

“I’ve got a lot of stuff that I still haven’t done in this league,” he acknowledged. “I’ve won Super Bowls. That’s cool, but individual success — and all that type of stuff — I haven’t really accomplished. So I get out of bed every morning, and I want to be the best person myself. I don’t feel like I’ve done that yet, so I’m still struggling every day to do that — and that’s my motivation every time I get up [at] camp.”

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