One of the reasons the Chicago Bears were not heavily linked to the two top tight ends in the 2025 NFL draft is that the team has Cole Kmet, whom they trust as a solid starting tight end. However, drafting Colston Loveland was clearly the best player available, and it is hard to consider Kmet when that is the case. Still, this move may signal that Kmet does not have much more time on this roster.
The Bears signed Kmet to a solid extension, showing how much they appreciated his value. However, he has an $11.6M cap hit heading into the 2026 season, and the team only has a $3.2M dead cap hit. So, the Bears could save $8.4M by letting him go after this season.
Kmet has not quite lived up to the contract, and while you can argue that quarterback and coaching issues are the reason, nothing in 2025 will change that. Loveland is viewed much more as a receiving tight end who has blocking potential than a blocking tight end with receiving potential.
Cole Kmet's role in the Bears' offense may have just changed
When you look at the Bears' offense and how he will be used as a rookie, you can expect him to see more slot snaps than in-line as he grows into his role in the NFL. The team also needs a slot more than a Kmet replacement next year. Still, this means that Kmet is going to play an awful lot of snaps in-line and is not going to catch nearly as many passes.
The Lions did this with Brock Wright last season. He was the in-line blocker while Sam LaPorta was able to flex all over the offense. It hurts to say, but Kmet has turned into a glorified Brock Wright.
D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze were already ahead of him in the pecking order, and now Loveland will be a bigger pass-catching threat. A guy like Wright is making closer to $4M per year, and the Bears have to be thinking that if they cut Kmet, pay someone $4M and eat his $3.2 in dead cap, they still will be saving money from the $11.6M cap hit that he would incur on the team.
Kmet had 719 yards in 2023, and that faded to 474 in 2024. He is much more likely to have a similar production to 2024 again in 2025, so that will be two down years leading to his exit and likely a fit on a new team.