Chicago Bears have had ‘honest’ conversations with Cole Kmet

The Chicago Bears have drafted two tight ends in the last two years, and it’s fair to wonder how much more time Cole Kmet has with the team.

Colston Loveland, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft, led the Bears in receiving last season. Kmet finished with his worst receiving production since 2020 when he was a rookie, recording 30 catches for 347 yards and two touchdowns.

In April, the Bears selected Sam Roush out of Stanford in the third round. But the move came amid Kmet’s contract restructure, meaning Chicago is expected to keep the veteran tight end for at least the upcoming season.

Kmet told the Chicago Sun-Times he’s had “honest” conversations with general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson about where he stands with the team. He noted the Bears have been blunt about the “good and bad things” of Kmet’s playing style.

The Notre Dame product’s best season came in 2023 when he recorded 73 receptions for 719 yards and six touchdowns. He’s never been the top target for Chicago, but Kmet’s learned to adapt to multiple different offensive coordinators, and has done enough to make it hard for Poles to get rid of him.

‘‘It’s actually really easy: You do what you’re told and do it at a high level,’’ Kmet said. ‘‘At times, you may not like what you’re being told to do. But if you do it right and do it consistently, it makes it really, really hard for them to get rid of you. It’s better just to go with it and buy in, and usually it works out better for you in the long run.’’

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Kmet used to worry about his stats as a receiver, but now he’s more focused on playing the role Johnson asks of him. He contributes as a blocker at a high level, and can still pop in the passing game, as evidenced by his touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round.

The Bears aren’t as worried about what Kmet does on the stat sheet. Frankly, Chicago made that clear when they spent precious draft capital on Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and Loveland.

Kmet will still be a key part of the Bears’ offense, but his role is changing as he enters Year 7.

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