Cole Kmet
Getty
Cole Kmet of the Chicago Bears.
The Chicago Bears might decide to make a blockbuster trade involving wide receiver DJ Moore this offseason, but head coach Ben Johnson is highly unlikely to part with another pass-catcher during the spring if Moore ultimately takes a hike.
Tight end Cole Kmet has been the subject of several cut and trade rumors as the new NFL year approaches on March 11, including speculation from Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report last week.
“Rookie sensation Colston Loveland emerged as maybe the most reliable and efficient pass-catcher on the Bears roster in 2025, while Kmet caught just 30 passes for 347 yards and scored only twice. He just isn’t a high-impact member of Ben Johnson’s offense,” Gagnon wrote on February 19.
However, Gagnon ultimately came to the conclusion that Kmet will remain on the roster for at least the third season of his four-year, $50 million contract in 2026.
“They’ll likely keep him around because they run so many two-tight end sets, but a restructuring should be a necessity,” he continued. “They could also consider using a Day 2-type pick on a guy who could compete for that second tight end role.”
Possibility of DJ Moore Trade Renders Cole Kmet’s Future With Bears More Secure
Bears TE Cole Kmet
GettyChicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet.
Moore’s involvement in a variety of trade proposals authored by prominent league analysts and insiders, such as Bill Barnwell and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, ultimately equals good news for Kmet with regards to his immediate future in the Windy City.
The Bears will save only $8.4 million in 2026 and $10 million the year after if they cut Kmet in the coming weeks, but that amount won’t free up enough space by itself for the team to pursue an elite pass-rusher, which is perhaps the highest-priority acquisition in Chicago this offseason.
There is no viable replacement for Kmet currently on the roster, which would mean the Bears would have to spend a draft pick on a TE2 in April and would have to hit on a player capable of blocking and making significant plays in the pass game, such as the touchdown Kmet caught in the Divisional Round of the playoffs to send that game against the Los Angeles Rams into overtime.
Furthermore, Johnson and the Bears run as many, or more, two-tight end sets than most NFL teams, which makes the TE2 position more important in Chicago than it is for several other organizations around the league.
Bears More Likely to Move on From Cole Kmet in Spring 2027
Colston Loveland Bears News Bears Injuries
GettyChicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland.
Loveland is the future of the position in Chicago and will play the next three years on a rookie contract. The Bears also hold a fifth-year team option on his deal for the 2029 campaign as a former first-round pick.
Ultimately, he will render Kmet expendable, particularly at such a high price for a second tight end. However, it makes more sense for the Bears to move on ahead of Kmet’s final contract year in the spring of 2027 than it does now.
Thus, the ever-more prevailing expectation from analysts around the NFL that Kmet will run it back with Chicago for at least one more year, albeit potentially on a restructured contract.