The Chicago Bears have some tough decisions to make on the roster and coaching staff this offseason, especially after coming one win away from a Super Bowl appearance. Fortunately, there's one less thing for the Bears to worry about after The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that offensive coordinator Declan Doyle withdrew his name from the Eagles OC search so he could return to the Windy City
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler also reported that Doyle's interview with the Eagles was "highly impressive," and he's someone who's on track to get interest as an HC next coaching cycle. While there's excitement around Doyle's growth as a coach, his sticking around Chicago might not be the best news for tight end Cole Kmet.
Declan Doyle’s Return to Bears Doesn’t Change Much for Cole Kmet
Before joining the Bears, Doyle was a tight ends coach for the Denver Broncos from 2023 to 2024. He has an understanding of what they need to do well to thrive, and we saw that a bit with rookie TE Colston Loveland. The former Michigan standout finished with team-highs in catches (58), receiving yards (713), and touchdowns (6).
Loveland emerged as a focal point in the passing game, but the same couldn't be said for Kmet. He finished the season with 30 catches (48 targets) for 347 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The Bears used him as their TE2 and didn't incorporate him into the passing game much.
The odds of him being a cap casualty have become slimmer. Especially after he stepped in when Loveland went down in the divisional round, finishing with three catches for 31 yards and a 14-yard touchdown grab that forced the game into overtime.
Kmet's biggest impact in 2025 came as a blocker in both the run and pass game. According to Pro Football Focus, he had a 71.7 pass-blocking grade and a 62.2 run-blocking grade. That's an important element to have a role in, but considering that Chicago gave him a four-year, $50 million extension in 2023, that's not enough production.
According to Spotrac, a potential divorce this offseason would save the Bears anywhere between $7.4 million and $10 million. If they aren't confident that Kmet can produce at a rate that's worth his price tag, some interesting conversations could happen.
It's Up to Cole Kmet to Change His Bears Outlook
It's great for the Bears and their continuity to have Doyle back in the fold in 2026, but Kmet's outlook for next season still looks bleak. The only way that he will get featured in the offensive game plan is if Loveland goes down.
The Bears just showed that in 2025, and with Loveland expected to take another step, they'll put more on his plate next season. That means that Kmet will continue to be a backup for this team. One of Doyle's main responsibilities was to craft gameplans and he displayed that he doesn't plan to use Kmet much as a pass-catcher.
Of course, things can change and evolve, but Kmet's forecast for next season is currently shaping up to be cloudier than ever.