The Chicago Bears have had a solid start to the 2026 season with the lone exception being issues at the tight end position. Colston Loveland has been extremely underwhelming, unable to have any consistent impact no matter who the starting quarterback has been. Veteran Cole Kmet has been even worse, offering only 56 receiving yards and a lone touchdown this season. What makes this production alarming is the fact that both the touchdown and 35 of these yards came in Week 1 in an offensive explosion.
Kmet has been a non-factor for the rest of the season, and this yet again points to whether or not it is time to explore a trade. There are clear defensive needs that Kmet could help answer and not only do you have Loveland rostered, but rookie Sam Roush, who has shown a baseline of capability as a target.
It is important to note here that the numbers don't give credit to what Kmet means as a blocker and his veteran presence. Turning on the tape, there is a consistent effort on the part of the pass catcher no matter what the results might be. This carries value and could leave the Bears leaning towards keeping a piece that has nowhere to move but up when it comes to his production.
With that said, the flip side of this is understanding if the position isn't going to be used at a high level. Chicago's front office could utilize Kmet's contract as a clear trade chip. It would make it far more possible to land an edge rusher or even picking up an additional draft selection to help fuel another deal for defensive help.
Cole Kmet's slow start fuels speculation Bears could soon find trade partner for veteran pass catcher
What makes Kmet's lack of production so surprising is the fact this is the same talent that was able to be a consistently featured role in an offense run by Justin Fields. This is where fans might be quick to point out the lack of elite receiving talent in comparison to the depth of playmakers now rostered. Still, it is a surprise to see Kmet be so consistently underwhelming when it comes to contributing offensively.
The Bears either need to see the pass catcher fill a larger role moving forward, or begin to explore possible trade options. Looking at the current options, there isn't one team that jumps off the page, but it is hard to believe that there wouldn't be contenders with at least a baseline of interest when considering Kmet's past production.
Chicago has long been pointed to as a likely trade partner for a team looking to add at tight end. The addition of Loveland always indicated that Kmet was on borrowed time with the Bears, and the early-season performance serves as a reminder of this.
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