Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles made the first significant contract extension of his tenure this week. Poles and the Bears agreed to a four-year, $50 million extension with tight end Cole Kmet. The deal includes $32.8 million guaranteed, making Kmet one of the top-10 paid players at his position.
Kmet was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame in hopes of bringing stability to the tight end position. The local product grew with the team and after splitting time with veteran Jimmy Graham, became the unquestioned TE1 in 2022. That was Kmet’s best year as a pro up to this point. He caught 50 receptions for 544 yards and seven touchdowns, all of which led the team last year while establishing a strong rapport with quarterback Justin Fields.
Now the Bears are betting on Kmet to continue to ascend in his development. Despite entering his fourth season in the NFL, Kmet is still just 24 years old and is just now entering the prime of his career. The expectation is he will continue to be a valuable weapon on the Bears offense for years to come.
Here is our initial grade of the extension:
Contract details
- 4 years, $50 million ($32.8 guaranteed)
Initial grade: A-
The Bears have a number of players up for extensions, but getting a deal done with Kmet sooner rather than later always seemed like a no-brainer. He’s been a dependable player who managed to win over two different regimes in a short amount of time and keeps improving his game every season. At just 24 years old, were the Bears really going to develop him just to see him leave for another team and become a top tight end in the league? This isn’t going to be a repeat of Greg Olsen getting traded to the Carolina Panthers.
Kmet was arguably the best and most productive player not named Fields on the 2022 offense. That was partly out of necessity due to the lack of quality pass catchers, but the Bears were able to use the tight end in different ways than in previous years. His route running looked smoother, he tracked the ball better, his redzone usage increased, and he became a better in-line blocker. He was Fields’ guy last year and even with the new additions on offense, that isn’t going to change.
As far as the money is considered, it’s a fair deal for both sides. Kmet is making top-10 money at the position, but just barely. He’s on par with veterans such as Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, earning $12.5 million per ear, but below players like David Njoku and Dawson Knox. Kmet can produce like a top-10 tight end and his salary matches that production. Plus nearly $23 million of the guaranteed money will be paid out within two years when the Bears have ample amount of cap space. All in all, it’s a very fair deal for both sides for an offensive playmaker that still hasn’t reached his potential.
