Chicago Bears: 5 slump candidates

3. Nick Kwiatkoski

This one feels pretty obvious. The question is how far does Nick Kwiatkoski fall? We all know that Roquan Smith has every chance of beating him out as a starter next to Danny Trevathan.

However, it was also assumed that the team was not going to force a linebacker if Smith was not there. The Chicago Bears were not necessarily discouraged from the idea of starting Kwiatkowski in 2018. Or were they?

Things got interesting when the team doubled down and drafted Joel Iyigbuniwe from Western Kentucky in the fourth round. “Iggy” is a versatile linebacker who played outside but profiles inside.

So, the question for Kwiatkoski is not only where he stands next to Roquan Smith, but also Iyiegbuniwe. A lot of indications are that Iggy was brought to immediately help out on special teams. However, in looking at the tape, there is speed, and athleticism that present upside.

If Trevathan gets hurt in week 10, who is coming in? How long does it take for Iyiegbuniwe to pass up Kwiatkowski? These will be interesting questions to watch during the season.