As the Chicago Bears gear up for training, it is a good time to look at the depth chart of current positions and see which players are set to make the biggest impact in the 2025 season. What does the tight position show us?
Cole Kmet
Cole Kmet is locked into being the starter for one more year. What they do after that depends almost exclusively on the development of Colston Loveland, but the reality is that his days as the top tight end are coming to an end. Kmet can block and that will keep him on the field, but also reduce his receiving role as they use Kmet more in-line to give Loveland looks as a pass catcher.
Colston Loveland
It is not often that a tight end is drafted in the top ten and is not needed as much as Loveland, but that is the position Chicago is in. With the drafting of Luther Burden III, the Bears can also trust three wideouts, so anything Loveland brings this year is icing on the cake. They hope to ease him into the mix and tight end is hard to adjust to in the NFL, so having him play in specific packages and roles makes sense.
Durham Smythe
Smythe has been in Miami since 2018, but that is when Ben Johnson was the receivers coach with the Dolphins, so the familiarity is there. As a third tight end, this veteran is as reliable as you need.
Stephen Carslon
Carlson has been with the Bears the past two seasons but has hardly made any noise. With a new coaching staff and two new tight ends in the mix, he will be fighting to make the practice squad.
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Joel Wilson
Wilson is a 2023 undrafted free agent from the Bills. He is not young or explicitly added by this regime in the draft, but he could push Carlson for that practice squad role.