The Chicago Bears have high hopes for Colston Loveland, their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but 2020 second-round pick Cole Kmet is not to be overlooked. Kmet’s appearance on ESPN’s top-10 tight ends list underscores that.
Kmet did not make the top 10 itself, but he did earn an “honorable mention.”
The list included insight from an anonymous NFL personnel evaluator, who pointed to Kmet’s usage in telling remarks.
NFL Scout Sends Telling Message About Bears TE Cole Kmet
Cole Kmet Could Have Bounce-Back Year for Bears
Kmet, 26, caught 47 passes for 474 yards and 4 touchdowns for the Bears in 2024. It was a notable step back from the 73-719-6 line he posted in 2023. Kmet even had 50 receptions for 544 yards and 7 TDs in 2022. That makes his 2024 production an even more noteworthy step back.
The evaluator believes some of that is how Kmet has been deployed.
“Probably underutilized as a three-down tight end. He can stretch the seams and work underneath for the QB,” the evaluator said, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on July 11.
Part of the issue for Kmet was the team’s change from Justin Fields, who arrived in the tight end’s second season with the Bears, to Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Kmet was notably an honorable mention in 2024, too.
Then, Fowler noted that Kmet made a “strong push” to crack the top-10 despite QB uncertainty.
“Very underrated,” an anonymous evaluator told Fowler in 2024. “We just don’t know a lot about him because of Chicago’s passing game. He’s solid all-around.”
Cole Kmet to Benefit From Ben Johnson
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson speaks with reporters after the conclusion of mandatory minicamp. Mandatory credit: Clocker Sports
New Bears head coach Ben Johnson is expected to lean heavily on 12 personnel – one running back and two tight ends – and has praised Loveland, comparing the rookie to Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta.
However, Loveland was unable to take part in the Bears’ offseason program.
He expects to be back in the mix for training camp. It is unclear if that will be once the Bears reconvene (July 19 for rookies, July 21 for veterans) or sometime during the process, though.
Kmet has benefited from getting reps alongside Williams in Johnson’s offense, which is new to all of them. Johnson admitted those missed reps are critical for a rookie, though he commended Loveland’s work in the classroom.
That does not mean Loveland cannot or will not hit the ground running when he can.
It does, however, lend itself to the idea that Kmet (and to a lesser extent, veteran free agent pickup Durham Smythe) could be better in the Bears’ offense early on than Loveland.
