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Bears’ Cole Kmet losing ground among NFC North tight ends

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet’s stock is sinking faster than any player in the NFL right now.

Published

6 months ago

July 3, 2025

Bryan Perez

Cole Kmet confident Bears' offense will get off to fast start in 2023 (2023 Season)

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet’s 2025 offseason hasn’t been great. He has new first-round competition for targets, is considered the NFL’s most overpaid tight end, and now, in a new ranking of NFC North tight ends, is sinking quickly.

Bears on Sports Illustrated’s Gene Chamberlain collaborated with a crew of NFC North writers to rank the division’s top tight end, and Kmet didn’t get a vote. Instead, the title of top tight end in the division went to Detroit Lions stud Sam LaPorta, followed by Minnesota Vikings veteran TJ Hockenson. Even Tucker Kraft ranked higher than Kmet.

Kmet’s role in the Bears’ offense became unclear when GM Ryan Poles pulled the trigger on Michigan’s Colston Loveland with the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. And while it’s true that Kmet won’t be an early-round target for fantasy football managers, coach Ben Johnson still holds him in high regard.

Chicago will have a plan for him, he’s too good not to.

Oh they were READY for this celly @ColeKmet | @ChicagoBears pic.twitter.com/9CW7UUtTV2

— NFL (@NFL) July 3, 202

“A high intelligence factor is clear from the get-go,” Johnson said earlier this offseason. “He’s a pro. He takes his work seriously. Positive energy, great teammate. You could tell, instantly, when he was around the other offense players and the rest of the team, there’s an instant respect level. I believe he’s been here the longest out of anybody on the roster right now, and you can tell that they respect him for that.”

Cole Kmet was misused — even ignored — by ex-offensive coordinator Shane Waldron to begin the 2024 season, and it got so bad that the $50 million tight end never got back on track. Now, with Loveland in place, it’s difficult to imagine Kmet will ever regain the promising outlook he once had.

No one would confuse Kmet for one of the NFL’s top playmaking tight ends, but it feels like he still has untapped potential. Whether he’ll realize it in Chicago while battling for targets with Loveland is a great unknown, but you can bet he’ll serve a valuable role for Ben Johnson regardless of his box score production.

Kmet ended the 2024 season with just 47 catches for 474 yards and four touchdowns.