Chicago Bears Eye Mo Alie-Cox as Smart Depth Move Behind Rising Star Colston Loveland
The Chicago Bears are heading into a pivotal offseason with a clear shift in their offensive identity - and that includes some tough decisions at tight end. Cole Kmet, once seen as a cornerstone piece, now finds himself at a crossroads after two straight seasons of declining production. And with Colston Loveland emerging late in the year as a legitimate TE1, the Bears may be ready to retool the position behind their rising star.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t just about moving on from Kmet - it’s about building a more balanced, efficient offense. Kmet’s numbers tell a pretty straightforward story.
After posting 73 receptions for 719 yards in 2023, those totals dropped to 47 catches for 474 yards in 2024, and then took another dip to just 30 receptions for 347 yards in 2025. That’s a steep decline for a player once expected to be a consistent safety valve in the passing game.
Enter Mo Alie-Cox.
The veteran tight end wrapped up his 2025 campaign with just 117 receiving yards and a single touchdown - but don’t let the box score fool you. Alie-Cox isn’t being brought in to stretch the field or rack up targets.
His value lies in the trenches. At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, he’s a punishing blocker who thrives in run-heavy schemes - exactly the kind of player who could quietly elevate Chicago’s offensive floor.
It’s a move that would mirror what Ben Johnson helped build in Detroit, where the offense leaned on one primary tight end and used a second as more of a situational piece. Think Brock Wright’s role in 2024 - just 13 receptions, but a key cog in the Lions’ blocking schemes. That’s the kind of blueprint that could work in Chicago, especially with Loveland looking like a future star and Alie-Cox capable of doing the dirty work.
And let’s not forget the bigger picture here. The Bears already have a deep group of playmakers with DJ Moore, Luther Burden, and Rome Odunze at wide receiver, plus a talented backfield duo that gives them flexibility in both the run and pass game.
This isn’t an offense that needs to funnel targets to a second tight end. What it needs is balance - and a guy like Alie-Cox can help bring that.
Of course, there’s an argument to be made for keeping Kmet as a reliable insurance policy. He’s still a capable starter, and if Loveland hits a sophomore slump or suffers an injury, having a proven pass-catching tight end on the roster wouldn’t hurt.
But at what cost? Moving on from Kmet could free up cap space and potentially return draft capital - both of which could be reinvested in other areas of need.
And given the lack of chemistry between Kmet and quarterback Caleb Williams, the writing may already be on the wall.
Alie-Cox, meanwhile, is no stranger to run-centric offenses. He’s spent years in Indianapolis, blocking for Jonathan Taylor and doing the kind of unheralded work that doesn’t show up on fantasy stat sheets but matters on Sundays. In Chicago, he’d get the chance to do more of the same - only this time, with the most talented quarterback he’s ever played with.
If the Bears want to make a smart, low-risk move early in free agency, Alie-Cox makes a ton of sense. Whether he ends up as a depth piece behind Loveland or helps facilitate a Kmet trade, he fits the mold of what this offense needs: toughness, versatility, and a willingness to do the little things that keep drives alive.
It’s not a flashy move - but it’s the kind of move that helps good teams become great.