The Chicago Bears' offense has looked much better under Ben Johnson, as expected. They currently rank No. 10 in scoring at 25.3 points per game, and they're posting the eleventh-most passing yards per game (227.8).
However, good things can always be improved, and this offense could be much more explosive if they got anything out of the tight end position. So far, Cole Kmet hasn't been much of a factor and, more importantly, his presence might stand in the way of a significant upgrade at the position.
Cole Kmet Stands in The Way of Chig Okonkwo Trade
According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, the Tennessee Titans' fire sale is officially underway. Now that they've parted ways with head coach Brian Callahan, they will also move several players, potentially including TE Chig Okonkwo.
"I was told the Titans don't want to trade Jeffery Simmons. I would be very surprised if they moved on from him. Three guys I'm monitoring: Arden Key, Roger McCreary, and Chig Okonkwo," Fowler said on Ramon & Will.
Unfortunately, with No. 10 pick Colston Loveland also there, it will be hard to justify the Bears paying three tight ends. Okonkwo is in the final year of his rookie contract, and he will be looking at a lofty contract extension. That's why, unless they move Kmet, he's not likely to arrive in Chicago.
The Bears can't afford to cut Kmet, but he hasn't played well enough to be a trade target, either. So far, he's logged just eight receptions for 116 yards and one touchdown, averaging a pedestrian 23.2 receiving yards per game, and leaving the Bears in tight end purgatory.
Okonkwo, on the other hand, has hauled in 23 of 30 passes for 213 yards this season, and that's despite playing in one of the most erratic offenses in the league. He has a 73 percent catch rate for his career, and he's on pace to record career bests in receptions (65) and receiving yards (617). He has also been quite durable, as he's never missed a game in four years.
The Bears should still find a way to get Loveland more involved, given how much they invested to get him in the first place. But if they don't feel like he's ready to make an impact as a pass-catcher, they should be looking to find someone who can give them anything, and that, unfortunately, might not be Kmet.