Chicago Bears: 5 Players with most to prove in training camp

2. LB Nick Kwiatkoski

Okay, so the next two might be shocking. Nick Kwiatkoski has done well in his role as a backup. He comes in and plays enough to give the starters a good rest. The problem now is that the last two seasons his weaknesses have been on full display.

Kwiatkoski was the Bears’ 2016 fourth-round pick out of Virginia. He played in 14 games and started seven of them in his rookie season. The Bears have Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan as the starting inside linebackers. They also have Joel Iyiegbuniwe, who was drafted last season, and they picked up veteran Kevin Pierre-Louis.

Iyiegbuniwe may be the heir apparent to Trevathan’s spot. The Bears have key players whose contracts are coming up. Trevathan could be a salary cap victim. If Iyiegbuniwe is his replacement, he needs to start playing on the defense more. He mostly played on special teams last season.

The pickup of Pierre-Louis might be the key here. Kwiatkoski was the veteran backup. Now there are two veterans there, but one of them will end up on the outside looking in. Iyiegbuniwe isn’t going anywhere. The Bears just got Pierre-Louis so that makes Kwiatkoski expendable.

Kwiatkoski is another player who could bring in a draft pick via trade. That not only saves the Bears some money but also gives the team some much-needed draft picks for the future. At any case, I don’t see him in a Chicago Bears uniform this season.