Chiefs predicted to lose key four-year starter to Browns in free agency

When you win Super Bowls, other NFL teams want to poach your top players.

The Kansas City Chiefs are the two-time defending champions, and they're well on their way to a third in 2024. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes II is the face of the operation, but the Chiefs are also loaded with talent on both sides of the ball.

The Chiefs' defense, led by coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, has been dominant in the past few postseasons. The linebacking core is stout, but it's also possible Kanas City could lose one of its best linebackers in free agency this spring.

Nick Bolton, an excellent run-stopper and one of the Chiefs' best overall tacklers, is set to make a windfall in free agency. Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department predicted that the Cleveland Browns would poach him from the Chiefs this free agency cycle.

"Jim Schwartz's defense thrives when he has elite talent in the front seven," the authors said. "The Browns were dominant last season when they had good linebacker play led by Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. They've already worked to extend his contract, but they could be looking for reinforcements to the second level of the defense."

"Bolton has earned a good reputation as an enforcer in the middle of the Chiefs defense. They have a lot of players to pay so it's possible that he becomes available this offseason."

Bolton, who is still just 24, would be a player most teams would love to lock into long-term deals. He has an impressive 390 tackles and 43 tackles for losses in just three-and-a-half seasons played. According to Sports Info Solutions, he's been worth 74 total points saved in his career.

However, as BR's Scouting Department references, the Chiefs have a logjam of talented players on defense looking for big-money contracts. The Browns could prove to be more desperate for a premier linebacker, stealing Bolton right out from under them.

More NFL: Chiefs predicted to poach Pro Bowler from Panthers to solve 'biggest weakness'