Bears tight end Cole Kmet will be staying in Chicago for the foreseeable future, as he’s reached an agreement on a contract extension, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Field Yates.
It’s a four-year deal worth $50 million, per Schefter, which breaks down to $12.5 million per season. That makes Kmet the ninth-highest paid tight end in the NFL, tied with the Patriots’ Hunter Henry.
Kmet’s extension includes $32.8 million guaranteed, which is $1.55 million more guaranteed money than the deal Jonnu Smith recently signed with the Patriots, according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. The $20 million in new first-year cash ranks fourth among tight ends.
Kmet is coming off his best season with the Bears, where he led the team in receptions (50), receiving yards (544) and touchdowns (7), which was also a career high. He’s a consistent weapon for quarterback Justin Fields, and now he’ll be in Chicago through 2027.
This is the first contract extension for general manager Ryan Poles, who joined the Bears last offseason. But there are several other players from that 2020 draft class who are also up for extensions, including cornerback Jaylon Johnson, wide receivers Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool, as well as defensive end Trevis Gipson.
