Veteran linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski may be close to finding his next NFL home. He met with the Falcons today, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). 
Kwiatkoski, who will be 29 by the start of the season, began his career with the Bears in 2016. He was drafted by then-general manager Ryan Pace, who has since been hired by the Falcons, in the fourth round that year. In four years in the Windy City, he totalled 184 tackles and six sacks while registering 22 starts.
That led him to the Raiders, who signed him to a three-year, $21MM deal in 2020. Kwiatkoski’s first year with the team was a productive one; he made a career-high 81 tackles, adding an interception and four pass breakups. He also started all 12 games he played in, logging a much higher snap percentage than he had in any previous year. However, he was limited to eight games in 2021 campaign due to an ankle injury.
The West Virginia product had his contract restructured twice by the Raiders, but it wasn’t enough to avoid his inclusion in the team’s numerous front seven changes this offseason. He was cut at the onset of free agency, leaving a dead cap charge of $5MM. That left him on the open market again, pointing him, eventually, to the Falcons. In Atlanta, he could help fill the void left by the departure of 2021 NFL tackle leader Foyesade Oluokun.
As Pelissero notes, however, Kwiatkoski does have two other visits scheduled. Whether with the Falcons or one of those clubs, he adds, Kwiatkoski “should sign somewhere soon”.
Man he used to lay the wood on people early in his career as a backup in Chicago, not sure how he was with the Raiders but I’ve always enjoyed his old school football ways
Good Polish last name right there.
Pace should’ve resigned him instead of the obviously declining Trevathen. I hope Poles takes a meeting with him.
I agree. He’d be a valuable addition to the Bears’ roster.