The Chicago Bears wrapped up their rookie minicamp after having players in the building from May 8-9. That allowed players to get with the coaching staff and showcase what they are capable of.
Bears tight end Sam Roush made plays on the practice field, but despite that, offensive coordinator Press Taylor didn't seem to have a role carved out for him, and that bodes well for fellow tight end Cole Kmet.
Bears role for Sam Roush may benefit Cole Kmet in 2026
Phil Thompson of the Chicago Tribune wrote an article with some takeaways from minicamp and pointed out that Roush was making several catches in a 7-on-7 practice. The rookie had to stretch out to make a grab on a crossing route and another catch over the middle of the field. But despite his impact in that session, Taylor said his role with the team is still up in the air.
"To be determined," Taylor said. "That’s the fun part of it. We don’t have a game for four months. So just seeing where it can go with us... We’ll figure out what Sam’s strengths are, how he complements those other tight ends, and then use as many tight ends or as many personnel groupings as we need to attack whatever defense we’re seeing that week."
And with the Bears still figuring things out regarding Roush, that likely signals that Cole Kmet will have a significant role on this team in 2026. Kmet is going into the third year of a four-year, $50 million extension, but saw his role take a bit of a hit last season.
In 2025, he posted his lowest offensive snaps (768), catches (30), and receiving yards (347) since his rookie season in 2020. The emergence of Colston Loveland played a big role in that downturn in production, but Kmet was still utilized in the offense. He was the TE2, which allowed them to consistently come out in 12 personnel. Last season, Chicago ranked sixth in the NFL in 12 personnel usage (32.64%).
That's an area that will be a strength for this team next season, meaning that Kmet will have a constant role. On Pro Football Focus, he had a 62.2 run blocking grade and a 70.2 pass blocking grade in 2025. Chicago felt confident to run behind Kmet, and it doesn't look like Roush will eat into the playing time just yet.
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The Stanford product does have the skillset to be an effective weapon for this team, but that appears to be down the line. The coaching staff is looking to find the best positions for Roush, and in the meantime, Kmet will get the bulk of the TE2 snaps. While the selection may have surprised some fans, it appears Kmet will be featured in 2026.
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