Danny Trevathan or Nick Kwiatkoski? That is a question nobody planned on asking when the 2019 season began. Everyone knew the hierarchy. Trevathan was the starter and Kwiatkoski the quality backup. Then, as so often happens, the NFL did its thing. Trevathan got hurt in November and eventually landed on Injured Reserve. This forced Kwiatkoski into the starting lineup and, sure enough, he has played quite well.
Thus with two games remaining, GM Ryan Pace has found himself in a quandary. Both players will be free agents this coming offseason. Given the Bears' salary cap limitations, it's likely they will only be able to keep one of them. So who should it be? People have traded debates on this very subject, so it's time to do a little exploration. This is not an easy decision and one that could affect the team both in the short and long-term.
Danny Trevathan and Nick Kwiatkoski each have arguments
Trevathan:
It's not a secret that Trevathan is considered one of the heartbeats of the Bears defense. A locker room cornerstone with tremendous intangibles and leadership attributes. A true glue guy. Prior to his unfortunate elbow injury, he was having one of the best seasons of his career. In just nine games, he collected 70 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. So it's not like he was in any sort of noticeable decline before the injury.
That said, Trevathan turns 30 next year. Everybody knows that football players tend to lose steam around that age. Especially at more physical positions like linebacker. He may yet have a couple of good years left in him but there is no way to know for sure. Trevathan does have a long track record of health issues. That said if he'd be willing to return on a one or two-year deal for around $12-13 million, it might be worth it.
Kwiatkoski:
The benefits of keeping Kwiatkoski aren't hard to see. He has no track record of health issues going all the way back to when he was drafted. He's also 26-years old, so youth is on his side. There is also the fact he is playing the best football of his career by a wide margin. In the past six games alone he has 40 tackles, two sacks, and an interception. The guy has been around the football constantly, showcasing his toughness and instinct.
There is still a concern here. It's important to remember that Kwiatkoski is doing all this in a contract season. Anybody who has followed the NFL long enough knows that average players can often deliver above-average seasons when they feel a lot of money is on the line. Then when they get paid, they go back to being average. This is the danger of extending him. There is also the fact that his coverage ability isn't on the same level as Trevathan, so they'd risk opening up a weakness in pass defense.
Conclusion:
It is important to remember that both Trevathan and Kwiatkoski arrived in 2016. Pace almost certainly had it in his mind that the day might soon come where the latter would end up being the heir to the former. It seems the day has arrived. Kwiatkoski knows he has a chance to be a starter in the NFL given how he's played lately. Somebody will give it to him if the Bears don't. So the question is does Pace think he can find another heir to Trevathan in the one or two-year window keeping him would create?
It's not an easy decision either way. Based on the business of football though, the youth almost always wins out in the end. This is Kwiatkoski's moment.
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