Going back roughly a year, after the first draft pick of the Ben Johnson era was used on his eventual replacement as the Chicago Bears' No. 1 tight end, Cole Kmet has lingered (at least) in the vicinity of the trade block. In a broad sense, with his role in the offense misaligned with his pay moving forward, it has made sense.
But Johnson likes to use multiple tight ends, and even as a rookie, Sam Roush now seriously lurks as a threat to his spot on the depth chart behind Colston Loveland, Kmet provides value to the Bears' offense.
The decision to restructure his contract in late April has, at least in theory, curbed trade talk around Kmet. A post-June 1 trade isn't very beneficial in terms of cap savings now, to say nothing of thinning the tight end depth chart in a way Johnson won't allow.
Cole Kmet will never completely leave the trade block
ESPN gathered analysts and the appropriate writers to review potential trade offers for four veteran players. Kmet is one of the four players, and here are the trade proposals offered.
Jeremy Fowler:
Bears get:Â 2027 third-round pick, 2028 fifth-round pick
Carolina Panthers get:Â Kmet, 2028 sixth-round pick
Dan Graziano:
Bears get: 2028 third-round pick
Baltimore Ravens get: Kmet
Ben Solak:
Bears get: 2027 third-round pick
Kansas City Chiefs get: Kmet, 2027 fifth-round pick
Seth Walder:
Bears get: 2027 fourth-round pick, 2027 sixth-round pick
Miami Dolphins get: Kmet
Over time, the Panthers, Ravens, Chiefs, and Dolphins have all been mentioned somewhere as potential trade suitors for Kmet. The Ravens, with former Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle in the same role there, make particular sense. The Panthers could certainly use a talent injection at tight end, as could the Dolphins. The Chiefs have to be thinking about who will succeed Travis Kelce.
ESPN Bears' beat writer Courtney Cronin then registered the verdict, accepting one of the trade proposals for Kmet, or not.
"The verdict: No offer gets the job done"
"Barring a package that would include a position of need in return -- such as a pass rusher -- it doesn't benefit the Bears' offense to move Kmet before the 2026 season."
"If I had to pick an offer, Walder's offer from the Dolphins would give Chicago the best value. DraftKings Sportsbook set Miami's over/under at 4.5 wins, meaning those fourth- and sixth-round picks could come higher in the draft order. That's enticing, especially because Chicago is sitting out of the fifth round after trading its selection for Bradbury.
"Kmet will be 29 by the time his contract expires in 2027. A trade, while unexpected, would allow the Bears to come away with something if they let him walk as a free agent."
If Roush notably emerges, trade talk around Kmet is likely to be reignited as the trade deadline approaches. Looking to next offseason, trading or cutting Kmet would create $10 million in cap space.
Read more: Bears strongly urged to sign a specific player to fill lingering perceived need
While it's convenient to make Kmet into a trade candidate until he's no longer a Bear, and his future in Chicago is undeniably tenuous, the time for him to be moved is not in line to be between now and Week 1.
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