Chicago Bears Camp Stock Watch: Nick Kwiatkoski Takes Advantage
By Erik Lambert
The Chicago Bears know that training camp is a marathon. Not a sprint. Players who might look a little slow off the blocks now can easily regain their stride.
Still, it’s important to keep tabs on those who are doing well and aren’t because it could just as easily stay that way. This will transform the outlook of the entire 2018 season depending on who is thriving and who has continued to stumble. Three practices into the latest camp under head coach Matt Nagy and his new staff, it’s fair to say there have been some unexpected surprises.
Both of the good and bad variety.
There’s a long way to go, but here’s the latest stock report for the roster featuring names that are on the rise and names that have dimmed a bit due to varying circumstances. Offensive and defensive names are both involved and the two sides didn’t waste time providing a couple mild shocks. Fittingly it starts with a man who probably thought he’d never even see the field this yard outside of spot reserve duties.
Stock Up: Nick Kwiatkoski
Roquan Smith is still unsigned. Danny Trevathan? Out with a hamstring injury. Joel Iyiegbuniwe? Out with a shoulder injury. The inside linebacker position isn’t off to the best start for the Bears this training camp, but one man who’s happy about the turn of events, at least from an individual standpoint, is Nick Kwiatkoski. The former 4th round pick and the occasional starter was hoping to get a shot at the top job this year after Jerrell Freeman was cut.
That became less of a likelihood when Smith was drafted back in April. This meant he would need a lot of breaks to have a shot. Sure enough, Smith is AWOL over his contract while others have been injured. Not only that, but Kwiatkoski has looked good in practice. He’s got in work at both inside and outside linebacker and made the play of the day when he correctly diagnosed a Mitch Trubisky rollout pass, tipped and intercepted it on Sunday.