Nick Kwiatkoski
Kwiatkoski finally got his chance to shine last year when starter Danny Trevathan went on injured reserve. Starting half the season in his stead, Kwiatkoski put up solid numbers and showed he’s capable of handling a role in the spotlight.
While Kwiatkoski did well against the run, posting 76 combined tackles including eight tackles for a loss, he really impressed against the pass. Kwiatkoski allowed a 59.5% completion rate on his 37 targets, giving up only one touchdown while also notching an interception. When targeted, quarterbacks had a lowly 66.0 passer rating against Kwiatkoski. He further harassed quarterbacks with three sacks with six total pressures last season.
Much like Martinez, Kwiatkoski’s market is a pretty big question mark. The Bears have both him and Trevathan as pending free agents, meaning they’ll probably focus more of their effort and cap space on keeping Kwiatkoski. But if the asking price is too high and Chicago re-signs Trevathan, things could dry up elsewhere and lead to Kwiatkoski being a far more manageable option to sign and start.