Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears: Big opportunity for Nick Kwiatkoski in 2017

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:17 p.m. ET

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Fansided, David Mamola/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone

Second-year linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski has a big opportunity to show the Chicago Bears he can be a building block on the defense.

When the Chicago Bears traded up in the fourth-round of the 2016 NFL Draft, most thought it was for a quarterback. Surprisingly, the team actually drafted Nick Kwiatkoski, a linebacker from West Virginia. After signing veteran free agent linebackers Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan only a month prior, it was a pick that was met with some skepticism.

With Trevathan signing a four-year deal and Freeman signing three-year deal, it was assumed that Kwiatkoski would not see significant defensive snaps for the first few seasons of his career. The biggest impact Kwiatkoski would make, many thought, would be on special teams. This turned out to be true early last season, as Kwiatkoski was a core special teamer on both punts and kickoffs. However, Kwiatkoski's role grew exponentially when Freeman was suspended for PEDs and Trevathan tore his patellar tendon.

Kwiatkoski ended up starting seven games his rookie season, compiling 44 tackles, one sack, and a forced fumble. As expected, Kwiatkoski faced his fair share of ups and downs, earning an overall grade of just 54.8 from Pro Football Focus. While his coverage skills are still a work in progress (45.7 grade), Kwiatkoski did flash against the run, earning a solid grade of 70.4. During a two-week stretch, Kwiatkoski racked up 17 tackles, showing his 4.73 speed and overall athleticism.

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Danny Trevathan tore his patellar tendon in Week 12, and Kwiatkoski went on to start every game in his place. Torn patellar tendons are sometimes worse than torn ACLs or Achilles, and there is a very long list of professional athletes who have never recovered from it. Trevathan was seen as a key building block for the Bears, but now his future with the team is in doubt.

He'll most likely begin the season on the "Physically Unable to Perform" list, meaning he'll miss at least the first six games of the upcoming season. Depending on how Trevathan responds to treatment, his return could come in mid-October…or not at all in 2017.

The Bears did not add any potential starters to the linebacking corps in the offseason, meaning Kwiatkoski will likely be one of the starters at inside linebacker. It's a big role for the second-year player and a huge opportunity to show the team what he can do. Kwiatkoski had a very good collegiate career, compiling 28 tackles for loss, six interceptions, and three forced fumbles. As a senior, he was a named to the first-team All-Big 12, and he had a solid showing at the 2016 Scouting Combine.

Being more consistent is key for Kwiatkoski. At times he seemed assertive and looked like he belonged; at other times, Kwiatkoski looked lost and out of place. There's no guarantee that Trevathan will ever be the player he once was, meaning Kwiatkoski could be the future at linebacker.

Having just turned 24 years old last month, Kwiatkoski is a young player with a lot of room for growth. In the 2017 season, he'll get every opportunity to get hands-on experience and learn on the job. The inside linebacker position is a major component in Vic Fangio's defense, so the Bears should learn pretty quickly if Kwiatkoski has it or not.

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