The moment Colston Loveland was ruled out for the Chicago Bears' Week 4 clash against the Las Vegas Raiders with a hip injury, a big opportunity for Cole Kmet arose. The veteran tight end would get a chance to prove his worth after surviving an entire offseason surrounded by trade speculation following Chicago's decision to draft Loveland with the No. 10 overall pick. Instead of taking advantage of this opportunity, Kmet didn't do himself any favors and delivered a highly disappointing performance.
Despite consistently getting force-fed by head coach Ben Johnson, Kmet failed to make an impact on the game. He was only able to catch three of his team-high nine targets for 46 receiving yards. Per Pro Football Focus, he had three contested targets, but failed to haul in any of them. To make matters worse, he had multiple drops and two penalties, including a horrendous false start on a crucial fourth-and-inches in the second half. As a result, he finished the game with the lowest PFF grade of any offensive player for the Bears.
Cole Kmet's Week 4 Dud Makes a Trade Involving Him More Likely
Johnson's insistence on having Kmet play every offensive snap and making him such a big part of the offense is a concerning continuation of a trend for the 26-year-old tight end. Coming into this game, Kmet had four catches in seven targets for 70 total yards and a touchdown. He now has his worst PFF grade of his career after four games since his rookie campaign back in 2020.
It is safe to say that Kmet didn't help end the trade rumors. Until the Nov. 4 trade deadline, the speculation will not subside. And if there is interest in the playmaker, the Bears would be wise to move on from him sooner rather than later. More performances like Week 4 will only hurt his trade value and make it harder for Chicago to find a suitor for the overpaid tight end.
The four-year, $50 million extension Kmet signed in the 2023 offseason is not looking like the most team-friendly deal in hindsight. The contract extends until the end of the 2027 season, but the Bears have an out before the 2026 season if they choose to save some money moving forward. Trading Kmet mid-season would give Chicago significant cap savings. Now that he is firmly behind Loveland as the TE2, and he is quickly falling out of favor in the offense, it may be time to execute the trade.