The Chicago Bears put the final nail in the coffin for this year's organized team activities (OTAs) on Wednesday, officially closing the offseason's latest chapter. First-year head coach Ben Johnson & Co. already held their mandatory minicamp at the beginning of June, meaning the Bears' attention is firmly on July's training camp.
As Johnson's staff continues to assess their 90-man roster's OTA performance, some Bears fans are already trying to predict how the 2025 NFL campaign will unfold. With the way things are shaping up, one Chicago playmaker is set to rob the team blind next season.
Bears TE Cole Kmet Will Rob Chicago Blind Next Season
Cole Kmet is someone who's become a mainstay in the Bears' offense since he was drafted 43rd overall in 2020. The ex-Notre Dame tight end improved with each passing year after moving to the Windy City, culminating in a 2023 performance that saw him record career highs in catches (73) and receiving yards (719) while scoring six touchdowns.
The performance came after Kmet signed a four-year, $50 million extension with the Bears, and it seemed like he was going to be worth every penny. At least, that was the case until last season.
After a career year, Kmet plummeted back to earth in 2024.
The Lake Barrington, IL native finished with his fewest receptions (55) and yards (474) since his rookie season, only finding the end zone four times along the way. His Pro Football Focus grades regarding receiving (58.6) and overall offense (60.6) were major drop-offs from the previous season's numbers (77.7 and 73.7, respectively), further adding to the disappointment.
Kmet is now due to $11.6 million in each of the next three seasons, and it's hard to feel good about that number after last season's poor performance. Interestingly enough, the Bears can create up to $10 million in cap savings if they cut or trade him next offseason, according to Spotrac, opening the door to a potential divorce if he doesn't step up.
Kmet's outlook with the Bears is up in the air, to say the least, and it became even murkier after drafting rookie TE Colston Loveland with April's 10th overall pick. The former Michigan Wolverine has all the tools to be a No. 1 tight end in the NFL and will likely cut into Kmet's target share, meaning there's a good chance the latter won't be able to improve on last year's numbers.
With that in mind, it's hard to imagine Kmet being worth his contract unless he's quarterback Caleb Williams' favorite target throughout the year. Considering the other mouths the Bears QB must feed, that's unlikely to happen.
At the end of the day, it's best for Bears fans to temper expectations with Kmet next season. Unless last season's underwhelming showing was an anomaly, the veteran TE will rob the team blind in 2025.