For savvy front offices, there will be opportunities galore in this NFL offseason, as cash-strapped clubs make difficult decisions in order to align themselves with the league’s salary cap. The Kansas City Chiefs, with nearly two dozen pending free agents, will be monitored closely, as aspiring Super Bowl contenders seek to take a slice of the franchise’s winning culture for themselves.
The Dallas Cowboys, staring at a 30-year conference championship and Super Bowl drought, are one team in need of a “winning” infusion. There have been whispers that Dallas is looking to make a blockbuster move in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft, with speculation persisting around the future of star edge rusher Micah Parsons. But the best improvement Dallas could make might be far less dramatic than dealing Parsons, even though his contract has just one year left to run.
Cowboys ready to pursue Nick Bolton in free agency
Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton has won two Super Bowls in four seasons with Kansas City, which drafted him in the second round of the 2021 draft. The Cowboys happen to have a glaring need at middle linebacker — and according to an ESPN predction, Dallas might not have to look any further than Bolton, a native of Frisco, Texas, where the Cowboys’ practice facility stands.
Bolton, 24, has been regarded as one of the Chiefs‘ most cerebral players — and barring his injury-shortened 2023 season, Bolton has made at least 100 tackles in each of his three full NFL campaigns. A graduate of Lone Star High School, Bolton’s asking price may be unaffordable for the Chiefs given their cap constraints…but a projection of four years and $49 million could be doable for Dallas.
However, Bolton’s potential homecoming could be scuppered by continued interest from the Chiefs and their AFC rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals. Bolton’s character, leadership, and nose for the ball-carrier — not to mention his relative affordability — makes him very attractive for any contender, and Dallas’ less-than-encouraging trajectory means owner Jerry Jones will have to use all of his powers of persuasion to bring Botlon “home”.
