Bears Considering Drastic Measure With Cole Kmet’s Contract – And Why It Makes Sense
The Chicago Bears are $10 million over the salary cap. First, they must find a way to become cap-compliant before the new league year begins on March 11th. Then they must create enough space to actually do business. That might require some uncomfortable moves in the near future. It’s already anticipated that they will release linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, which would bring $15 million in relief. Some wonder if tight end Cole Kmet might be another consideration as well.
Though his productivity dipped in 2026, the former 2nd round pick showcased his continued value with excellent blocking and two of the most clutch plays of the season with his touchdowns against Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Teammates love him. Coaches love him. He’s become a trusted voice inside the locker room. Still, releasing him would net another $8.4 million. They have Colston Loveland in place. Maybe this is a sacrifice they have to make. Fortunately, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune thinks the Bears have something else in mind.
“Kmet is signed through 2027. He has a $8.9 million base salary with a $1 million roster bonus (due the fifth day of the league year) and a $100,000 workout bonus for each of the next two seasons. So that’s $20 million total. His cap hit is $11.6 million for each season, and there’s no guaranteed money remaining in the deal.
I think an extension for Kmet would be likelier than the Bears trading him when you consider how significant tight ends are to Ben Johnson’s offense. The Bears could extend Kmet’s contract with a goal of reducing his cap figure for this season, but they also would have to see him being a significant part of the offense in 2028 and maybe 2029.”
Extending Cole Kmet makes sense if the money is right.
With Loveland likely to command the bulk of pass targets moving forward, the Bears must be careful about how much they’re willing to pay Kmet. Conversely, he might be wary about an extension because he could receive more from other teams that badly need tight end help. Much of this idea hinges on how much Kmet wants to stay in Chicago. It’s his home, and he’s already made really good money to this point. He also has a clear role in Ben Johnson’s offense, even if it isn’t as a regular pass catcher.
Cole Kmet is a hometown kid. It was his dream to play for the Bears, and he has been living it. He just got his first taste of real success in 2025. Johnson is building something here. Perhaps he’d be willing to take a discount to stick around. Besides, he’d be under contract until his 30th birthday. Lots of players wish they had that kind of long-term security. Primarily blocking tight ends make around $7 million per year in the NFL right now. Given Kmet’s value as a receiver, that seems like a favorable number to start with.
| Player | Current Team | Position Tier | Avg. Annual Salary (AAV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Oliver | Minnesota Vikings | Premium Blocker | $7.75 Million |
| John Bates | Washington Commanders | Premium Blocker | $7.0 Million |
| Will Dissly | L.A. Chargers | Rotational Blocker | $4.67 Million |
| Charlie Woerner | Atlanta Falcons | Rotational Blocker | $4.0 Million |
| Brock Wright | Detroit Lions | Rotational Blocker | $4.0 Million |
| Adam Trautman | Denver Broncos | Blocking Specialist | $3.75 Million |
| Drew Sample | Cincinnati Bengals | Blocking Specialist | $3.5 Million |
| Durham Smythe | Chicago Bears | Depth / Specialist | $2.5 Million |
There is no reason to think Kmet can’t contribute long-term.
That is the primary reason for doing an extension. He already proved he can be valuable in Johnson’s offense. If Loveland ever gets hurt, they’d have him ready and able to step into the primary tight end role. One of the problems with teams is that they never work to keep good tight end pairs together. You’ll find the best ones weren’t for longer than a couple of years. Keeping Cole Kmet and Loveland together could give Chicago the best tight end tandem in NFL history. That is another reason for the extension.
We’ll see how the Bears approach it. Will Kmet be receptive to the idea? He has no more guaranteed money left on his current deal. How much the team is willing to offer in an extension will probably play a big part in negotiations. If things go as hoped, the Bears will secure a key part of their offense into his 30s and clear extra cap space to help make the roster better this season.