Getty Bears tight end Cole Kmet, right, has signed a contract extension with the Bears.
The Chicago Bears have locked down one of next offseason’s priority free agents and secured one of Justin Fields’ top passing targets for the long-term future.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bears have agreed to terms on a four-year, $50 million extension with starting tight end Cole Kmet, who was entering the final year of his rookie contract and is coming off a strong season in 2022 that saw him lead Chicago in receptions, (50), receiving yards (544) and receiving touchdowns (seven)
“Another deal: Bears and TE Cole Kmet reached agreement on a four-year, $50 million extension, including $32.8 million guaranteed and $20 million in new first-year cash, per me and @FieldYates,” Schefter tweeted on Wednesday, July 26.
Another deal: Bears and TE Cole Kmet reached agreement on a four-year, $50 million extension, including $32.8 million guaranteed and $20 million in new first-year cash, per me and @FieldYates.
“It’s just amazing. This whole thing just from the beginning has been a dream come true, getting drafted here first,” Kmet said Wednesday, “and being able to get an extension done and agree to terms on that is amazing, so I’m looking forward to it and the things that come with it and many playoff appearances and Super Bowls to come.”
Kmet said talks between the Bears and his representation — Athletes First — got started toward the end of OTAs in June and kept going through the six-week break leading up to training camp, but momentum toward a deal “really picked up” in the last week as veterans began to report for the start of 2023 training camp.
“The last two days have been pretty hectic, not really knowing where it was going to go,” Kmet said. “But I got a call from my representation 20 minutes before I went out [to practice on Wednesday] that we’re good to go, so it was a good feeling.”
Cole Kmet Has Chance to Continue Breakout in 2023
Kmet, a 2020 second-round pick, is the first player from the previous regime to receive a major contract extension from general manager Ryan Poles’ front office. The 24-year-old tight end was the first player Poles mentioned when identifying players with blue-chip potential on their roster following the 2022 season, but the second-year decision-maker has also spoken highly of other key players who have eventually departed, such as All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith and running back David Montgomery.
“I thought Cole did a really good job,” Poles said. “I thought he elevated his game from the film that I watched last year [in 2021] to what it was this year, so that’s exciting.”
With his long-term future now secured, Kmet will be expected to continue his breakout for the Bears during the 2023 season. His share of the receiving targets seems likely to go down with the additions of D.J. Moore, Tyler Scott and Robert Tonyan Jr. to the offense, but he is still one of their most formidable blockers and showed he could be a reliable red-zone target with his career-high seven touchdown grabs last season.
“He’s a pro and he’s a guy that can be trusted,” Eberflus said Wednesday. “He’s a fantastic teammate with him just leading by example. We talk about modeling the behavior you want to see, talk about his practice habits, how he is in meetings, how he works with other players, how he works with the coaches, how he leads in times of adversity. He does all of those things and I think that’s what makes him a good leader.”
The Bears will open the 2023 season at home against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, September 10.
Which 2024 Free Agent Could Bears Extend Next?
Kmet is the first domino to fall in the Bears’ pending 2024 free agent class, but there are a few others who could put pen to paper on new extensions in the coming weeks.
Jaylon Johnson is another high-priority name. He has been their top cornerback for the past two seasons and, despite not stuffing the stat sheets with takeaways and splash plays, has been a consistent player in coverage, usually while shadowing No. 1 receivers. The Bears, however, have drafted three cornerbacks in the last two drafts, including second-rounders Kyler Gordon and Tyrique Stevenson. While it doesn’t prevent them from signing Johnson to a lucrative extension, it does give them much more leverage.
The Bears also have both Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool seeking new contracts. The latter is most likely going to have to earn his extension over the course of the 2023 season, as he has not been able to deliver on the high price the Bears paid to get him, but Mooney has done enough to get a deal in place before the season begins.
Mooney was a 1,000-yard receiver for the Bears in 2021 and would likely have beaten out Kmet as the Bears’ receiving leader if he had not suffered a season-ending ankle injury late in the year. Like Kmet, he has also been around for Fields’ entire tenure with the Bears and has banked quite a bit of chemistry with him over the past two seasons.
While Moore’s arrival takes Mooney out of the No. 1 receiver spotlight, he could thrive with more weapons in the offense and less attention being paid to him in coverage. He may still have to prove he can get back to 100% after his injury before inking a new deal with the Bears, but don’t be surprised if he signs something before Week 1.