As last season wound down, and as he became the Chicago Bears' version of Brock Wright to Colston Loveland's Sam LaPorta, in reference to Ben Johnson's Detroit Lions roots, Cole Kmet felt sure he would be traded by now.
But Kmet also has a valuable role in the Bears' offense, given Johnson's affinity for using two tight ends, and the departure of Durham Smythe in free agency has fortified his importance on the depth chart as a whole.
That said, with the Bears really up against the salary cap right now, the idea of trading Kmet probably isn't fully going away anytime soon. And if we're being honest, his pay is outsized compared to the role he has in the passing game as long as Loveland is healthy.
Fresh trade idea has Bears giving easy Cole Kmet suitor an unwarranted discount
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox has offered eight players who could still be traded this NFL offseason, with a landing spot and a proposed trade cost. Kmet made the list, with the Baltimore Ravens as his proposed new team.
"Baltimore Ravens Receive:Â TE Cole Kmet
Chicago Bears Receive:Â Conditional 2027 4th-round pick"
"Kmet has been productive throughout his Bears tenure, but he may now be viewed as expendable due to the emergence of rookie Colston Loveland in 2025. Trading Kmet would save Chicago $7.4 million in cap space of $9 million if traded after June 1."
"For Baltimore, adding Kmet would make a ton of sense. The Ravens lost tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar in free agency. Kmet is a solid pass-catcher who has tallied 2,939 receiving yards in six seasons and who just turned 27 years old in March."
Knox finished the trade idea with something that made the Ravens a potential trade suitor for Kmet at outset of the offseason, and surely played a big role in Smythe landing there.
"Kmet also has experience under new Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who held the same position last season in Chicago."
With Doyle likely bringing core elements of the Bears' offense to the Ravens, the Ravens may be interested in trading for Kmet to help foster the transition. But they'd need to do better than a conditional fourth-round pick to get him.
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At this point, the Bears' signing Kmet to a contract extension beyond 2027 feels more likely than trading him. They're better off keeping him right now, while possibly revisiting the idea of moving him if offers (hypothetical or otherwise) get better than a fourth-round pick in the coming weeks and months. Or, when the season starts, and the trade deadline gets closer, trade offers might get better.