From the moment the Chicago Bears used the first draft pick of the Ben Johnson era on tight end Colston Loveland, trade rumors around incumbent TE1 Cole Kmet were automatic and obvious. Nothing was ever very likely to happen last offseason, and even leading into the trade deadline, that talk had faded.
But as Loveland found his footing and emerged over the course of his rookie season, Kmet became less and less of a factor. The idea that his pay no longer matches his role is now front and center as the Bears head into the offseason, and he did not shy away from the speculation about his future in Chicago during a recent appearance on 104.3 The Score.
"Well, it's definitely very real. I know it's real because I've seen it happen before. That's just the nature of the business in this league. Maybe, you know, you say nervous or scared, I would say like my first two years in the league it kind of catches you off guard of just how ruthless this business can be, but I think at this stage of my career, you're kind of accepting of it and understanding that this is just part of the deal and especially a guy like myself or you know you're talking about DJ or other guys who have played a little bit and you're on a second deal, you know, unfortunately, as you age you get more expensive and you may not fit in that piece of the puzzle that I was talking about and that's just the nature of the business."
Kmet's value to the Bears' offense, with Johnson liking to deploy two tight ends on a regular basis, goes beyond how he dents (or does not dent) the box score. But there is no getting around the idea that he could be replaced as the TE2 with a cheaper option, as the Bears look for ways to trim cap dollars.
Pair that last point with a number of teams possibly looking for an upgrade at tight end, and you have the makings of Kmet as a trade candidate this offseason.
While there is probably a line of demarcation somewhere when it comes to potential trade offers that would drive whether Kmet stays or goes this offseason, here are five teams that could make a compelling offer.
5 teams who could make the Bears a trade offer they can't refuse for Cole Kmet
5. Kansas City Chiefs
If Travis Kelce decides to retire, which is to be determined as of this writing, the Chiefs will be somewhere in the market for a tight end. They are also in win-now mode until further notice, and coming off a down season the general urgency may be high.
Even if Kelce decides to come back, it'll very likely be for just one more season. So adding a veteran tight end could still end up being on the Chiefs' radar, and the soon-to-be 27-year old Kmet could easily be on their list of pursuable options.
4. Baltimore Ravens
With Declan Doyle, the Bears' offensive coordinator last season, leaving to take the same post for the Ravens (with play-calling duties, of course), an effort to replicate Chicago's offensive style may be an order in Baltimore.
The Ravens have, of course, had two capable tight ends in recent years. But Isaiah Likely is a free agent, and he's in line for a lucrative contract to become someone else's clear-cut TE1. The decision to make a multi-year commitment to Mark Andrews a couple of months ago may have foreshadowed the expectation they're going to lose Likely.
The Doyle tie and the likelihood Likely finds greener pastures elsewhere pushes the Ravens onto a list of possible suitors for Kmet.
3. New York Giants
Speaking of coaching ties that could spur a team's interest in Kmet, the Giants recently hired former Bears head coach Matt Nagy as their offensive coordinator under new head coach John Harbaugh. Nagy's last two seasons in Chicago were Kmet's first two years in the league, with the latter of the two campaigns serving as Kmet's breakthrough (60 catches for 612 yards in 2021).
The Giants have an interesting young tight end in Theo Johnson. But coming from Baltimore, Harbaugh saw firsthand how having two starting-caliber options at the position can be a good thing, and Kmet's prowess as a blocker can cover up Johnson's shortcomings there.
Looking toward next season, the Giants are more interesting than they've been in a while. Harbaugh intends to win immediately, and making a trade for Kmet to supplement the talent around Jaxson Dart could be part of the offseason plan to achieve that.
2. Denver Broncos
The Broncos have some proven (Courtland Sutton) and interesting (R.J. Harvey, Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant) pieces, but the effort to surround Bo Nix with skill position talent has been sorely lacking at tight end. Adam Trautman led the group with 20 catches for 195 yards during the 2025 regular season, and finding an actual receiving threat there could unlock their offense.
Kmet has sneaky alignment versatility that should grab the attention of Broncos' head coach Sean Payton.
Over 876 offensive snaps during the just completed season, including the playoffs, according to Pro Football Focus, Kmet lined up as a traditional in-line tight for 589 snaps, in the slot for 130 snaps, and out wide for 103 snaps. He even lined up in the backfield 46 times, and as the quarterback in the wildcat twice.
Even in a down year for him, Kmet would have easily been the most productive tight end the Broncos had. A competitive AFC West and a competitive AFC as a whole mean they must address that void in their offense, one way or another.
1. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers seem to be (rightfully) hesitant to give Bryce Young a long-term deal, but they absolutely have to find out once and for all if he's their long-term guy under center. That means surrounding him with the best set of weapons possible, and tight end is a notable void in that regard, with Tommy Tremble leading that position group with 249 yards in 2025.
Read more: Pro Football Focus comfortably foreshadows a future accolade for Joe Thuney
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, while naming the Panthers as the top potential landing spot for Kmet, projected a 2026 fifth-round pick as the return in a trade. Maybe Poles can coax a little more than that out of Dan Morgan, as the Panthers' GM tries to keep his team atop the eminently winnable NFC South.