Trade talk for Chicago Bears TE Cole Kmet has already started

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report ignited excitement on Tuesday when he suggested that the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots would be logical trade suitors for Kmet.

“The Chicago Bears probably won’t shop standout tight end Cole Kmet in the coming months,” Knox wrote. “However, the 26-year-old looms as a potential trade target for teams that need a pass-catcher at the position, as the Bears just used the 10th overall pick on Michigan tight end Colston Loveland.

“The former Wolverine has all the tools needed to become a star under new head coach Ben Johnson, much like Sam LaPorta did during his time as the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator. Kmet has three years left on his contract with cap hits of $11.6 million in each season. Chicago might not want to pay that much for a No. 2 tight end.

“The New England Patriots should be interested in Kmet if he becomes available. They need to put pass-catchers around second-year quarterback Drake Maye, and Kmet could be a long-term option for them at tight end. The Chargers could also look to add Kmet as a more dynamic pass-catcher than Tyler Conklin or Will Dissly. Kmet has 258 catches for 2,592 yards and 19 touchdowns in his five NFL seasons.”

The Bears need Cole Kmet in 2025

There are several reasons why the Bears should have no business trading their team captain in 2025. The most obvious reason is that Loveland won’t be practicing anything other than mental reps with Chicago until he recovers from shoulder surgery. He’s not expected back until at least the start of training camp.

Even if Loveland were healthy, there are questions about his skills as an in-line tight end. The Bers need Kmet as a blocker and someone who can be utilized as a receiver after chipping.

Losing Kmet would take away the Bears’ upper hand with 12 personnel. If Johnson can design an offense that is efficient with Kmet and Loveland on the field, Chicago should have serious mismatches against defenses in 2025.