The Chicago Bears have returned from a well-deserved Bye Week, and all eyes in the Windy City are now on the Week 6 clash against the Washington Commanders. Fans are excited to see what kind of improvements head coach Ben Johnson implemented during last week's break, with many of the Bears' faithful hoping to see an elevated performance from tight end Cole Kmet.
It's no secret that Kmet hasn't lived up to the $50 million extension that he signed over two years ago. The former Notre Dame product's 2024 performance was a disappointment, and those struggles have bled into the current season. Now that he's coming out of the Bears' bye week, it's increasingly clear that Kmet's outlook has never been lower than it is.
Cole Kmet Is at Rock Bottom After Bears' Bye Week
The 2025 NFL trade deadline is rapidly approaching on Nov. 4, and Kmet's early struggles have vaulted him into the rumor mill. The 26-year-old TE didn't do himself any favors before Chicago paused its season, as he only caught 3-of-9 targets (33.3%) for 46 receiving yards in the Bears' 25-24 win against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4.
Even though the effort marked his season-high in receptions and yards, Kmet's most recent performance impressed no one. It's even worse considering that rookie TE Colston Loveland missed the contest, which gave his veteran counterpart the perfect opportunity to calm fans' concerns. Instead, it was more of the same, and it wouldn't be a shock if Kmet's opportunities suffered because of it.
With Loveland having plenty of time to recover from his hip injury, there's a decent chance that the Bears could be ready to unleash him. Head coach Ben Johnson told reporters on Sept. 17 (h/t @CHGO_Bears) that "the fact that the tight ends are not involved more is on me." Considering how Loveland had a season-high three targets in the following game, his increased workload could come at Kmet's loss.
The Bears used a first-round pick to draft Loveland for a reason, and failing to make the most of his talents is malpractice at best. The decision to draft the rookie playmaker looks worse as the Indianapolis Colts' Tyler Warren, who was selected four picks after Loveland, continues to look like the best TE in the 2025 draft class. This is why trading away Kmet to create more opportunities for Loveland might be the only way for the Bears to save face.
At the end of the day, Kmet isn't helping Chicago win, and his continued struggles are something Johnson would like to avoid in his first year behind the bench. Unless he starts to look like the 2023 version of himself soon, it's clear that the struggling 26-year-old's outlook is at an all-time low in the Windy City.