The cards are already stacked up against Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet, but one final piece of news could be what pushes him to go off in 2025.
ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler surveyed NFL executives, coaches, and scouts to come up with the top 10 tight ends in the league entering 2025. Kmet did not cut, but was named as an honorable mention with a NFL personnel evaluator sharing their thoughts on his play.
"Probably underutilized as a three-down tight end. He can stretch the seams and work underneath for the QB."
Kmet has been given fuel to take over the NFL in 2025
Since the Bears selected Kmet in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, he has been a steady performer for Chicago. Back in 2023, Kmet earned a four-year, $50 million contract extension that would keep him in the Windy City through the 2027 season.
He responded with the best season of his career with 73 receptions and 719 yards (both were career-highs) while adding six touchdowns. 2024 was not so kind to Kmet as he took a massive dip in his stats with 47 receptions for 474 yards and four touchdowns, the worst season he has had since his rookie season in 2020.
This caused the new Bears coaching staff and general manager Ryan Poles to pick Colston Loveland in the first round of the NFL Draft. Now, Kmet is facing stiff competition at tight end going into training camp. His future in Chicago doesn't look as bright as it was going into the 2024 season.
No one denies that Kmet has all the skills to be a solid starting tight end in the NFL. At age 26, he still has plenty of years in him and is a reliable pass catcher. Last year, despite his targets dropping, he caught 70.9% of his passes, the highest of his career.
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Whether Bears quarterback Caleb Williams can get him the ball with all the weapons Chicago has with D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Loveland, and Kmet. It could be an interesting season for Kmet, but he has a chance to make an impression on new head coach Ben Johnson by getting back to 2023 form.