The Bears are keeping Cole Kmet around beyond this season.
Wednesday, they agreed to sign the tight end to a four-year contract extension, a source confirmed. Kmet, the former second-round pick who was entering the final year of his rookie contract, will get $50 million.
Head coach Matt Eberflus said Kmet was the right kind of player for the Bears, praising him for “being smart, being tough, playing with intensity.”
The move is the first multi-year extension negotiated by general manager Ryan Poles in his almost 18 months on the job. Kmet was one of three of the Bears’ most likely players to sign an extension before Week 1 of the season, alongside cornerback Jaylon Johnson and wide receiver Darnell Mooney.
The Notre Dame alum is coming off his best season as a pro. His seven touchdowns last season were five more than his career total entering the year. He caught 50 passes for 544 yards last year and has totaled 110 catches for 1,156 yards over the previous two. Kmet is considered one of the league’s best blocking tight ends.
“He’s a guy that can trusted,” Eberflus said. “He’s a fantastic teammate, with him leading by example.”
Kmet, an Arlington Heights native, said staying with the Bears was something he always wanted. His agent called him 20 minutes before the start of practice with the news.
General manager Ryan Poles engaged Kmet’s agents during the summer break but talks picked up in the last week.
“It’s crazy — I don’t know how else to say it,” Kmet said. “Honored to be here. Honored that they felt I was a guy worthy of this.”
Tuesday, Poles expressed some urgency in getting deals done.
“There’s no preferred timeline,” he said of signing players to extensions. “It’s when it happens. If I was in that position, I would want it done sooner rather than later. So ... soon.”
Kmet participated in the Bears’ first training camp Wednesday inside the Walter Payton Center.
Kmet’s deal ranks in the top 10 of tight ends across the league. The Patriots signed Jonnu Smith to a four-year, $50 million deal in 2021 that ranks ninth among tight ends.
