The Chicago Bears are in an interesting spot heading into NFL free agency next month. They don’t have a ton of key free agents on offense, as their defense has several guys that could be in the Windy City in 2026 or not.
That said, the Bears should still look to make additions or subtractions to the offense if they find a deal or player that makes the most sense. Veterans WR D.J. Moore and TE Cole Kmet have been viewed as potential trade chips for the Bears, given their contracts and the emergence of young talent at their respective positions.
Now, Chicago isn’t going to be pressured to move Moore or Kmet this offseason. However, with Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts making a notable decision on Monday, the Bears might get an offer or two for Kmet.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Falcons are planning to franchise tag Pitts, which will officially take him off the free agent market. It will be a one-year deal worth more than $15M guaranteed. He adds that the hope is that the two sides will work out a long-term deal, as they have until July.
Kyle Pitts’ Franchise Tag Could Create New Trade Opportunities for Cole Kmet
With Pitts off the board, the free agent tight end market takes a hit as the next best options are Dallas Goedert, Isaiah Likely, David Njoku, and Travis Kelce. Those are all good TEs, but that list can get smaller if Kelce doesn’t retire and returns to Kansas City.
At that point, teams might scramble to take a chance on Chig Okonkwo, who is a second-tier FA at tight end, or consider making a move for Kmet. Okonkwo is the same tier as Kmet. They aren’t all world playmakers, but are solid top-15 options at the position.
If the Bears were to trade Kmet this offseason before June 1, the Bears could pick up $8.4 and $10 million in cap savings over the next two years, per Over The Cap. Chicago would only be on the hook for $3.2 million and $1.6 million in dead money over that time.
Kmet saw his role change this past season with the addition of Colston Loveland in the 2025 NFL Draft. The veteran tight end only had 30 receptions (48 targets) for 347 yards and two touchdowns across 16 games.
The last time Kmet had a stat line similar to what he did in 2025 was his rookie season in 2020, where he recorded 28 receptions (44 targets) for 243 yards and a touchdown.
Despite his recent low production this past season, Kmet has shown that he can be a TE1, as evidenced by his early years in Chicago.
With that being said, the Bears should try to get back significant draft capital or at least a player at a position of need in a potential deal for Kmet. They don’t have to give him away for pennies. Instead, Chicago could keep him to pair with Loveland and continue to have one of the best TE duos in the league in 2026.