The Chicago Bears are currently the top seed in the NFC at 9-3, which is definitely a rather significant surprise. The primary reason for the Bears’ rise? An explosive offense.
Chicago is teeming with impressive weapons on the offensive side of the ball, boasting tantalizing talent at the skill positions. However, one Bears player has been a pretty big disappointment in 2025: tight end Cole Kmet.
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There was a time when Kmet was one of Chicago’s top playmakers, but he began to fade last year, and the Bears’ decision to select fellow tight end Colston Loveland in the first round of the NFL Draft last April further marginalized his role.
Kmet has logged just 20 catches for 231 yards and a couple of touchdowns this season, and with two years remaining on his contract, ESPN’s Dan Graziano wonders if the former second-round pick could be traded — or cut — during the offseason.
“Kmet is signed for two more years at $10 million per year, but none of that money is guaranteed. The dead money hit if Chicago cut him would be just $3.2 million,” Graziano wrote. “Kmet has been a useful and reliable part of the Bears’ offense and could certainly continue to coexist with Loveland in 2026 and beyond. He has 231 yards and two scores on the season. But if Chicago is looking for a place to find some cap relief next spring, Kmet’s contract could be vulnerable.”
Kmet was floated in trade speculation before the 2025 campaign began, and with Loveland clearly taking over as the No. 1 tight end for the Bears, it would be surprising if Kmet played out the rest of his contract in the Windy City.
The 26-year-old arrived in Chicago back in 2020 and put together a strong run over his first four NFL seasons, particularly in 2023 when he hauled in 73 receptions for 719 yards and six scores.
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But it has become clear that Kmet is not exactly a favorite target of Caleb Williams, and with Loveland emerging as a big-time threat, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for the Bears to keep Loveland anymore.
Chicago will face the Green Bay Packers in an NFC North showdown this Sunday.
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