Thus, he will not be returning to Raiders
Any potential for a Nick Kwiatkoski return to the Las Vegas Raiders has now been dashed as NFL Media is reporting the veteran linebacker is signing with the Atlanta Falcons.
Veteran LB Nick Kwiatkoski is signing with the #Falcons on a one-year deal, per source. A reunion with former #Bears GM Ryan Pace, who drafted Kwiatkoski in 2016 and is now a senior executive in Atlanta.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 12, 2022
The Raiders released Kwiatkoski earlier this offseason after he spent two seasons with the team. However, Kwiatkoski visited with the new Las Vegas regime on Monday.
But the Raiders signed fellow free-agent linebacker Kenny Young that day. So, Kwiatkoski ended up going to the Falcons, who he visited before the Raiders.
Kwiatkoski signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Raiders in 2020 as a free agent from the Chicago Bears. But he only lasted two seasons in Las Vegas, in which he was oft injured and didn’t become the steady starter the former Las Vegas regime envisioned when it brought him in. Kwiatkoski, 28, missed nine games in 2021 and started 12 games in two years with the Raiders.
Kwiatkoski is the third member of the 2021 Raiders to sign with the Falcons this offseason. He joins quarterback Marcus Mariota and cornerback Casey Hayward in Atlanta this season.