Cole Kmet enters Bears training camp with no room for a slow burn.
The veteran tight end is facing real pressure in Chicago after the franchise selected Sam Roush in the 2026 offseason, adding another name to a position group that already had Colston Loveland ahead of him. That leaves Kmet in a spot where every rep matters, because a shaky camp could do more than just hurt his standing - it could push the Bears toward seriously weighing a trade.
That possibility is part of the backdrop here. The sense around Kmet is that his time in Chicago may be winding down over the next two seasons, and the only real question is when that exit comes. A poor showing in camp would only strengthen the case for the Bears to explore moving him as they try to maximize a Super Bowl window built around young players and the leadership of Ben Johnson.
Kmet’s 2025 season did little to quiet the noise. He finished with 347 receiving yards and two touchdowns, a step back from the steadier production he had delivered before. Even so, the Bears still appear to believe there is something left to unlock, especially with the offense shifting around him and Caleb Williams continuing to build chemistry with the pass catcher.
That makes this camp a major checkpoint. Chicago is going to watch the tight end spot closely, and Roush has a chance to make this a true competition. If Kmet has repeated stumbles, the door opens wider for Roush and for the Bears to start treating a trade as a real option.
For now, Kmet is the player under the brightest spotlight. He needs a strong camp to hold off the rookie, protect his role, and make sure this doesn’t become his final summer in Chicago.
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