The Kansas City Chiefs defense stepped up in a big way to help the team secure their second Super Bowl of the Patrick Mahomes era, and linebacker Nick Bolton played a major part in the unit’s effort to sink the Philadelphia Eagles back in February.
Though the spotlight shone brightly on the former Mizzou linebacker at Chiefs OTAs, perhaps most telling were his comments on second-year safety Bryan Cook. Expected to step up in place of Juan Thornhill, Bolton told reporters that Cook is primed for a standout 2023 season.
“Ever since he was a rookie I could tell he has a confidence about him, (the) ability just to talk,” Bolton explained jokingly. “[Even] if he’s 100% wrong, he makes you believe he’s 100% right. So, that’s the confidence you need to have in the back end and we’re loving that. So, he’s growing. You can tell he’s put a lot of work in the offseason, Phase 1, Phase 2 and now leading into this Phase 3. Being able to echo calls, get guys lined up and even if we’re trying to show something, we’re doing wrong, he’ll make sure we know about it. So, we love that. Willie’s (Gay) liking that too. We love the competition he brings.”
Preparation is key for any team in the NFL, but with the massive target that Kansas City will have on its back in its effort to defend its championship in 2023, the Chiefs can’t afford to leave any stone unturned in their pursuit of excellence next season.
To hear Bolton tell it, Cook has done his part to become a high-level playmaker through this point of the team’s offseason program. With a year of experience under his belt, he should blossom into a key starter when the regular season starts in September.
