The Pittsburgh Steelers' wide receiver room seems to be filled out for new starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but the tight end room may not be.
Outside of Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, the Steelers lack tight end depth, mainly due to injuries.
Donald Parham Jr. will sit out the entire season with an Achilles tear and un-drafted rookie JJ Galbreath is missing time with an undisclosed injury. That leaves just Connor Heyward as a third option.
This interesting trio could be enough to be ready for the regular season, but Pittsburgh has been reported with interest in shopping around. It could be inclined to investigate what's going on with the Chicago Bears.
In the 2025 Draft, Chicago selected standout tight end Coleston Loveland from Michigan No. 10 overall in the first round. This came as a surprise, as the Bears already have Cole Kmet, a five-year veteran who has put up solid numbers as their TE1 for years.
Could the Steelers trade for Kmet in search of depth? Or the first question would be, is Chicago planning for his departure by drafting his potential heir?
"The Bears all but proclaimed a new face of their tight end position by spending a first-round pick on Colston Loveland this year, and while Kmet still has the benefit of legitimate NFL experience, it's very possible new coach Ben Johnson will lean all the way into Loveland out of the gate," CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin says.
"In that case, perhaps the Steelers would be interested in pairing Kmet with Pat Freiermuth, especially if the price is lower than, say, acquiring Kyle Pitts from the Atlanta Falcons."
Pittsburgh was also rumored to be considering Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith, which tells us there is some serious interest in the position.
Kmet wasn't as productive last season with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, but he has shown the ability to reel in 700+ yards as a top target.
He wouldn't get that many touches in Pittsburgh, but it's worth adding as many receiving options as possible for newcomer Rodgers.
The Steelers changed out WR1 from George Pickens to DK Metcalf, but may not have a clear second-option receiver. Freiermuth and Kmet could each serve as security blankets in the offense, and with them both being just 26, could build a solid foundation at the position - similar to the Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely situation ... only if each were young.
This idea becomes more likely when you consider that Chicago would probably be interesting in stocking up on draft capital by trading for picks. They've improved, but they may not be close to serious contention yet, especially under a new head coach, so it'd be valuable to have insurance in a large draft class down the line.
For the Steelers, their offense may be one pass-catching threat away from stacking up with the likes of Cincinnati and Baltimore in the AFC North. Whether it's a tight end or wide receiver trade, Pittsburgh could find great value in adding firepower.
Cole Kmet would fit the bill.