{"id":865983,"date":"2026-04-14T05:42:30","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T05:42:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/865983\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T05:42:30","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T05:42:30","slug":"bears-trade-proposal-ditches-te-cole-kmet-for-osus-max-klare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/865983\/","title":{"rendered":"Bears Trade Proposal Ditches TE Cole Kmet for OSU’s Max Klare"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Cole\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Cole Kmet of the Chicago Bears.<\/p>\n

The clock is ticking on tight end Cole Kmet\u2019s<\/a> tenure with Chicago Bears<\/a>, and the best time to move him is arguably ahead of the NFL<\/a> draft later this month.<\/p>\n

Kmet has two years remaining on his $50 million<\/a> contract, while the Bears could seriously use the\u00a0$8.4 million<\/a> in salary cap relief that would come with trading the 27-year-old TE in the next week and a half. Chicago currently has just north of $200,000<\/a> in space and still needs to sign all of its soon-to-be draft picks. Plus, the team\u2019s work in free agency isn\u2019t likely done, either.<\/p>\n

Kenyon Sadiq of Oregon is the only true first-round prospect at the position in 2026. However, a few teams project as potential candidates to select a tight end on Day 2, meaning either the second or third round. Those include the Denver Broncos<\/a>, Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/a> and Miami Dolphins.<\/p>\n

Chicago can open up much-needed cap space and spare one of those teams their tight end need in return for Day 3 draft capital. The Broncos appear the most sensible trade partner, as Matt Miller of ESPN predicts<\/a> Denver will use the No. 62 overall pick in Round 2 (its top selection) to acquire Eli Stowers out of Vanderbilt.<\/p>\n

But the Broncos also need reinforcements in the linebacker and running back rooms. A deal for Kmet would add a TE ready to step into the No. 1 role immediately for the defending AFC West Division champions in return for the No. 108 pick<\/a> in Round 4.<\/p>\n

Bears Overpaying Cole Kmet Based on Usage After Drafting Colston Loveland in First Round Last Year\"Cole<\/p>\n

GettyTight end Cole Kmet of the Chicago Bears.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Chicago would bolster the middle of its 2026 draft while clearing considerable money this year along with $10 million in 2027 by moving on from Kmet.<\/p>\n

The Bears drafted Colston Loveland<\/a> No. 10 overall in 2025, and it makes little sense to pay a TE2 the kind of money Kmet is getting when his usage doesn\u2019t warrant that salary in Chicago, though it could if increased by a team like the Broncos.<\/p>\n

Such a deal frees up the Bears to look at a prospect like tight end Max Klare<\/a> of Ohio State<\/a> with the No. 89 pick in Round 3 \u2014 a complete player at the position who can much of what Kmet does for a vast reduction in annual average salary.<\/p>\n

Ohio State TE Max Klare Offers Bears Perfect Replacement for Cole Kmet\"Max<\/p>\n

GettyOhio State Buckeyes tight end Max Klare.<\/p>\n

Mina Kimes and Ben Solak of ESPN both agreed that Klare is a strong value play for most any team on Day 2, with Solak ranking him the the No. 2 tight end on his board.<\/p>\n

\u201cKlare is my guy,\u201d Kimes said on the April 8 edition of her podcast<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019m thinking I can just see this guy in an NFL offense so crystal clear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe blocks,\u201d Kimes continued. \u201cThe way he is part of [Ohio State\u2019s] play-action passing attack maps so well onto so many NFL teams. Then, on top of that, he\u2019s really smooth with the ball in his hands. \u2026 He gets you yards after the catch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Solak added that Klare is a three-down tight end who can step into the professional ranks and contribute immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe can run away from linebackers, run away from safeties,\u201d Solak said. \u201cKlare very clearly has that blocking ability at almost a true 250 [pounds], with also explosive receiving play ability.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miller has Klare landing with the Miami Dolphins at No. 90 overall in Round 3, one spot before ESPN\u2019s Mel Kiper projects Chicago to select Clemson wide receiver Antonio Williams. However, those projections assume that Loveland and Kmet both remain on Chicago\u2019s roster in 2026.<\/p>\n

If the Bears trade Kmet for an early fourth-round pick, they can potentially replace him with Klare at No. 89 and then use the 108th selection to add a No. 3 wideout to fill the role vacated via the DJ Moore<\/a> deal with the Buffalo Bills<\/a> earlier this offseason.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tMax Dible<\/a> covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group’s family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Bears\n\t\t<\/p>\n

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