ILB Nick Kwiatkoski (6-foot-2, 242) Age: 26

One of the better draft picks on day three in the Ryan Pace era, the time has finally come for Nick Kwiatkoski to hit free agency. Over the last few years, the 2016 fourth-round pick has shown flashes of being a future starter, however, for his first three seasons, he was stuck on the depth chart behind names like Danny Trevathan, Jerrell Freeman, and Roquan Smith.

Yet like any other free agent that the Bears will have this offseason, there will be tough decisions to make. While quarterback continues to be a major question mark, on the defensive side of the ball, there could be new faces starting at middle linebacker and safety for the Bears. Middle linebacker is especially important since both Kwiatkoski and Trevathan are free agents.

However, in 2019, Kwiatkoski had several noticeable performances that saw him elevate his play and become one of the ascending linebackers in the game.

While it's no secret that the Bears will need to figure out ways to salvage a Super Bowl-caliber roster with limited cap space this offseason, Kwiatkoski could end up being Pace's toughest decision this offseason. So what should Pace do as he heads into his sixth offseason managing the Bears?

The Case For Keeping Kwiatkoski

- In eight starts in 2019, Kwiatkoski made the most of every opportunity he got. His best game of the season came in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings at home where he 9 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 quarterback hit. And he did this while filling in for Smith, who was ruled out of the game last minute due to personal reasons.

- He's a physical linebacker with a high motor who's always willing to give 110 percent on any given play. This is something that was rarely seen on the Bears defense in 2019 but not by Kwiatkoski.

- A major aspect of Kwiatkoski's game is his ability to blitz. Whenever he's asked to do so, he's successful and is able to get after the quarterback. This is also how Chuck Pagano used him in many different situations in 2019.

- As the Bears head into their second year with Pagano as defensive coordinator, retaining Kwiatkoski would mean that the Bears bring back a projected nine of 11 starters on defense. This would mean that continuity occurs, something that is crucial to the success of any NFL defense.

- A solid linebacker in coverage, Kwiatkoski was a reason as to why the Bears defense was able to get off the field at times in 2019. A major example of this was in week 15 against the Green Bay Packers, he was in coverage on a third and long play and despite dropping a potential interception, stopped a driving Packers offense.

- 2019 was the biggest sample of what Kwiatkoski could be under Pagano. With a full offseason of being the starter and taking first-team reps in training camp, he could have an even bigger impact in 2020. While it's sometimes rare that players heading into their fifth season get labeled as 'breakout' candidates, Kwiatkoski is a rare case of a player that really could.

- Durability has never really been an issue for Kwiatkoski. He's been relatively healthy over the last two years (2018 and 2019) and this is a trend that should continue in 2020.

The Case Against Kwiatkoski

- A major issue with Kwiatkoski is his lack of speed. Opposing quarterbacks have used his speed against him all throughout his career. Most of the time, Kwiatkoski is unable to pursue wide receivers or running backs who are running short or intermediate routes. This is usually an issue in third-and-short situations since the Bears should be making stops to get off the field yet fail to do so.

- It's unknown how much money Kwiatkoski will command. This is an issue because of the Bears limited cap space. They could potentially lose him in free agency to teams like the Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, both of whom will be in the market for a middle linebacker this offseason. Over the last few years, the market for linebackers has been hard to predict in free agency. Many players end up getting paid much more than they're actually worth.

- For a guy who was primarily a special teams player during his first three seasons, Kwiatkoski wasn't really a major contributor on special teams in 2019. In the scenario that he returns to the Bears, if he's asked to be on the field during kickoff and punt returns, he needs to get better when it comes to blocking.

- He's a major boom-0r-bust free agent. For someone that's about to get a major payday, there's no guarantee that he lives up to expectations in 2020, even if it is with the Bears. While he has shown some potential when given a chance to start, there's no knowing what he's going to look like during the course of a 16 game season. If he is ready to be a starting-caliber linebacker in the NFL, he would have likely taken the jump in 2017 or 2018.

Hold 'Em or Fold 'Em?

Hold 'Em.

The Bears most polarizing free agent in 2019, it's just better for the team to retain Kwiatkoski if the price is right. He'll never be a top tier linebacker but he will do just enough to get the job done. With a healthy defense in 2020 and starters like Akiem Hicks back at 100 percent too, the Bears appear to be set on defense heading into 2020. For any argument that's made about why the Bears should bring back Kwiatkoski, there are also arguments that can be made for why they shouldn't.

Essentially, when it comes to Kwiatkoski, if he does end up getting a big deal from a team like the Packers or another team that will be in the market for an inside linebacker, the Bears won't be able to afford him. It's also hard to predict a true price range for him as well. It's difficult to see him getting upwards of $10M a year but he could end up getting anywhere from $6M to $9M a year. If his price range ends up being anywhere from $6M to $9M a year, then the Bears should definitely make a run at him.