Chicago Bears veteran tight end Cole Kmet is one of the team's most important locker-room leaders. He goes about his business the right way, both on and off the field, and while his production may not be consistent with the NFL's top players at his position, there's no doubt that he offers high value to a Bears team that needs leadership.
And let's not get the Kmet narrative twisted: he's not some ancient player who's past his prime that Chicago is holding onto simply because of that leadership trait. He's also a darn good tight end who, if used properly, can threaten for 800 yards and eight touchdowns on any given season.
It isn't Kmet's fault that he was one of the many Shane Waldron victims in 2024, a season that saw his receiving stats regress to 47 catches for 474 yards and four touchdowns. Remember: Waldron barely played Kmet early in the season for reasons that aren't worth spending time trying to figure out.
Kmet's 2025 outlook was on the rise when GM Ryan Poles hired Ben Johnson as head coach. How could it not be? Kmet was in line to take over the Sam LaPorta role for the Bears, which signaled that a potential career year was on the horizon.
Until it wasn't.
The 2025 NFL Draft ushered in a new challenge for the former Golden Domer: first-round pick, Colston Loveland.
With all due respect to Kmet, he simply doesn't have the receiving or athletic profile that Loveland has, which almost immediately sparked speculation about the Bears potentially trading the five-year pro.
To make matters worse, Kmet's ranking in Pro Football Focus' top tight ends entering the 2025 NFL season is... horrendous.
He checked in at No. 29, behind Kansas City Chiefs backup Noah Gray, first-round bust Noah Fant (Seattle Seahawks), and even Loveland, who has yet to play his first game in the league.
"Kmet was great in 2023, recording a 77.7 PFF receiving grade, but his production and grading declined to his rookie levels in 2024," PFF's John Kosko wrote. "With the Bears drafting his presumed replacement, Colston Loveland, Kmet may see his production take an even bigger hit."
It's critical for Bears fans -- and the analysts around the league -- to remember the 2023 season. It's not like it was five years ago; it was before the wheels fell off of Chicago's offense because of the aforementioned Waldron. Kmet, who just turned 26, is barely scratching his prime tight end years. In fact, his best football could still be ahead of him.
Don't be surprised if Cole Kmet forces Johnson and his staff into some difficult playing time decisions because of his better-than-expected performance as a receiver in Chicago's new-look offense. And if he does, rankings like this will look very different a year from now.
