Colston Loveland didn't just cement himself as the Chicago Bears' tight end of the future down the stretch of his productive rookie campaign. The 2025 No. 10 overall pick also showed he's a difference-maker right now.
It's not hard to see that Loveland is on the fast track to stardom. He's been everything the Bears could've imagined, and seeing him take another leap in 2026 wouldn't be shocking in the slightest. However, that begs the question of what Chicago will do with his teammate and mentor, Cole Kmet.
Kmet has been Chicago's primary tight end for the better part of the past six seasons, making 91 starts in 100 career games to date. The four-year, $50 million contract extension he signed in 2023 runs through 2027, though Loveland's ascension complicates matters.
Colston Loveland's rise sets the stage for Bears to move on from Cole Kmet
Cutting or trading Kmet with a post-June 1 designation feels like an all-too-obvious outcome for the Bears this offseason. Doing so creates $10 million in cap savings while leaving behind just $1.6 million in dead money each of the next two years (h/t OverTheCap). Taking the financial relief is a no-brainer, particularly with a younger, superior cost-controlled option on the roster in Loveland.
Loveland's first season as a pro stacks up to Kmet's modest breakout in 2023. They finished with nearly identical yardage tallies and both caught six touchdowns. Nevertheless, the former appeared in one less contest and posted 15 fewer receptions.
In other words, this is a textbook example of "it's not you, it's me." Loveland hit a gear that his positional mate hasn't in the NFL. The level of explosiveness, athleticism, field-stretching ability and upside he displayed is unlike anything we've seen from Kmet.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson ostensibly agrees that Loveland is only beginning to scratch the surface of his talent. The Michigan product is already a high-impact player, which became abundantly clear as he helped Chicago reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
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For whatever it's worth, Kmet was once on the opposite side of the spectrum. He came in as a second-round selection and supplanted veteran Jimmy Graham for the job Loveland is suddenly snatching from him. That's the natural progression of football (and life).