Going into this off-season, a handful of players you can probably say with certainty are safe on the Chicago Bears roster. Caleb Williams, Darnell Wright, Rome Odunze, and D.J. Moore immediately jump out on offense. Most would assume tight end Cole Kmet is in that group as well. However, that might be slightly premature. Based on what we know of this new coaching staff led by Ben Johnson, the tight end is a position that features prominently in the passing game.
Some will argue that it isn't a problem for Kmet, who has shown that he can be a factor in the passing game. This is true. When given opportunities, he can be a threat. The thing is, so was T.J. Hockenson. The former Pro Bowler had been a strong presence in the passing game for Detroit. Things changed in 2022 when Johnson took over playcalling on offense. Midway through the season, Hockenson was traded to Minnesota for draft picks. While Kmet might not be at that point yet, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune believes the Bears plan to go hunting for tight end help.
Depth or competition? That is the question.
The Bears have a real need for a tight end, and signs are they’ll look to the draft to supplement Cole Kmet...
...When Poles and Johnson talked about the supply this offseason — in free agency and the draft — aligning well with the team’s needs, this is no doubt one of the positions they were thinking about. It’s thin pickings for tight ends in free agency, and that’s fine. It’s a really good draft for tight ends, with Penn State’s Tyler Warren and Michigan’s Colston Loveland likely first-round picks.
If the Bears do sift through free-agent options, Juwan Johnson is the top available tight end, according to a variety of league sources. The 28-year-old spent the last five seasons with the New Orleans Saints, so offensive coordinator Declan Doyle knows him well.
Cole Kmet is anything but safe.
Hockenson was a better weapon in the passing game than he is and still got traded. Most experts agree this 2025 draft class is loaded at the position, and Johnson already has confidence he can find good players at the position. He helped the Lions select Sam LaPorta a couple of years ago, and he's become a Pro Bowler. Cole Kmet is far from untradeable. He's 26 years old and has three years left on his current contract. Trading him would net the Bears $6.8 million in cap space. It is impossible to imagine no teams would be interested in making a deal for him. As things stand, it feels like the Bears are currently hunting for quality depth. Then again, things can change fast if the right offer comes forward for Kmet. Detroit got 2nd and 3rd round picks for Hockenson. If something like that pops up, things could get interesting.
