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Cole Kmet of the Chicago Bears.
The Chicago Bears find themselves at a bit of a crossroads with veteran tight end Cole Kmet heading into 2026.
Kmet is entering the third year of the four-year $50 million contract he signed in 2023, and his $11.6 million cap hit has prompted speculation about whether the Bears might cut or trade him.
But on April 15, Bears insider Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune noted that the team has plenty of options, and trading or releasing Kmet may not be the best thing for Chicago right now.
“As far as an extension for Kmet, I think he’s in a pretty good spot,” Biggs wrote. “The Bears probably would have to pay him good money to extend him, and I don’t know that this is something that would happen. It might, but Kmet is signed through 2027 and will be 29 when he’s scheduled to be a free agent in 2028. So I don’t think he’s likely to agree to tack on cheap seasons in 2028 and beyond in a deal that really would just reduce his 2026 cap hit, which is $11.6 million.”
GettyWill the Chicago Bears sign TE Cole Kmet to another contract extension instead of trading him?
The fact that the Bears paid Kmet a $1 million roster bonus in March instead of cutting or trading him was widely interpreted as a strong signal he’ll remain in Chicago, at least this coming season.
A fan favorite, Kmet’s ties to Chicago run deep. He grew up about 30 miles northwest of Soldier Field in Lake Barrington, Illinois. When be was drafted by the Bears in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, it was a dream come true for Kmet.
Entering 2026, he is the longest-tenured player on the Bears roster, and he’s one of the team’s most durable players. His best statistical season came in 2023, when he hauled in 73 catches for 719 yards and six touchdowns.
While his numbers dipped in 2025 — he finished with 30 catches for 347 yards and two TDs — Kmet is a very good run blocker whose value extends well beyond the stat sheet. He is one of the more sure-handed TEs in the league, dropping just four passes over the last three seasons. Releasing him could create a void that the Bears TE-loving head coach, Ben Johnson, doesn’t want.
A huge reason people think Kmet may be a goner sooner than later is because of the emergence of Colston Loveland.
Selected 10th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, Loveland finished his rookie season in 2025 with 70 catches for 906 yards and six touchdowns, which includes 193 yards across two playoff games.
While some think Loveland’s emergence is a reason to move on from Kmet, the Bears could see it as an opportunity to build something special. One problem some teams have is that they never work to keep good tight end pairs together for longer than a few years — some teams never manage to get a dynamic one-two punch at TE no matter how hard they try. The Bears already have arguably the best TE tandem in the NFL right now. There’s merit in keeping some continuity there.
And we don’t necessarily agree with Biggs about one thing: Ben Johnson is building something special in Chicago, and we think Kmet may be willing to take a discount to stick around. He’s already earned one extension — he could very easily give Chicago the literal home team discount.
There are legit reasons to move on from Kmet, to be sure, the primary of which is fiscal. But don’t be surprised if he sticks around at least through his initial extension.
Beth Mishler-Elmore Beth Mishler-Elmore is a Heavy sports contributor based in the Midwest, focusing on the NFL, NBA and WNBA. More about Beth Mishler-Elmore
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