Why Cole Kmet Represents Real Value for Bears

The best thing about Cole Kmet's contract extension has little to do with him, although the deal is a good situation both for him and the team.

The best aspect of it is only $3.6 million is added toward the Bears 2023 salary cap space. According to a breakdown by Pro Football Focus, it's extremely friendly for this year's cap. That leaves the Bears with plenty of money still to add a pass rusher. Kmet was to count $3.7 million and now $7.36 million.

There have been several reports without sources attached in the last week saying the Bears could have interest in Yannick Nagakoue and Justin Houston, which doesn't seem too far-fetched since any team in the league who needs edge rushers should be talking to those two. And there are plenty of teams who are interested in pass rushers.

Those are two of the top three remaining edges. They should be looking into Jadeveon Clowney, too, because he might be the best all-around option. He's 4 years younger than 34-year-old Houston and stops the run much better than Ngakoue, who is easily the best sack artist out there.

The deal has a base of $4.99 million guaranteed for this year, $9.9 million the next two years that are guaranteed. Then $8.9 million the last two years with a $1 million roster bonus each season.

Dissatisfied Fantasy Football People

Kmet's production has frequently be targeted by unhappy fans on social media, at least until last year. It's typical of people who are involved in fantasy football and don't apparently understand the full impact a tight end brings to a team. However, even he says he didn't meet his own expectations early.

"Yeah, I mean it's been up-and-down just as most NFL careers are," Kmet said. "I'm still early in mine. I'm still a young guy. I have a long way to go and I'm excited about that for sure.

"When you look back at kind of the stuff I was doing my rookie year, I look like an idiot out there at times, ya know? But it's cool to see the progression and where things are going. I've seen the improvement every year and I'm looking to continue to take those steps this coming year and the years beyond."

Pro Football Focus has agreed in anaylzing his play. He ranked in the top 10 tight ends both in receiving grade and run-blocking grade last year for downs when he lined up as an in-line tight end. That's his position. He's not the receiver only, the X-type who is a virtual wide receiver. He had an 84.6 receiving grade on 173 pass plays from in-line tight end, according to PFF. That was fourth overall and better than T.J. Hockenson. It's just behind George Kittle, who was third overall.

What can get overlooked is Kmet's ascension as a red-zone target last year. Only Travis Kelce, Jerick McKinnon, Christian Kirk and Stefon Diggs had more touchdown catches in the red zone last year than Kmet. Kelce is the only tight end in that group. He was No. 2 among tight ends for TD catches and tied for No. 5 for any position at red zone TD catches.

None of this takes into account his blocking, which earned him a ninth ranking by PFF on running plays among tight ends.

"It was funny, I was talking to someone the other day, blocking really wasn't part of my game coming out but it's had to form that way based on the offenses I've been in the past three years," Kmet said. "I think that's become a good strength of mine.

"It's just always continuing to build my all-around game and be who I need to be that day. If I need to be on the line and we need to run the ball 40 times a game, I can be that guy. If we need to drop back 40 times to win a game, I can be that dude that is able to split out and do things as well."

More Players Needed Still?

Kmet has new barriers ahead that could be addressed with a more potent overall, like yards per catch and after the catch. His yards after the catch per reception was at 5.7, which was top 10 among tight ends and he did it in an offense where any yards after the catch have been hard to come by for two years. They were last in the league at it last season overall as a team. He still averaged below 11 yards per catch, but getting to that barrier is rarified air for players at this position, especially the in-line tight ends like Kmet.

Kmet is never going to win over many fantasy football players that way but seven touchdown catches overall last year should keep anyone happy. It's going to be difficult for him to maintain that level, it was so high. 

What he's going to do is help the Bears win games in more than one way.

Sadly, when the overall Bears roster is assessed the news isn't as positive.

Sports Illustrated issued power rankings for the start of camp and sees the Bears as 28th overall.

"The Bears are going to be young and exciting," Conor Orr wrote. "Their best players, like 2022 fifth-round pick Braxton Jones, emerged during training camp last year and took the staff by surprise. I would expect that another good draft pieced together by this front office could backfill a roster that is still recovering from previous regimes."

If the assessment is right—and some others like PFF have said they're six spots better than SI's analysis—then they've got a ways to go. At least they know tight end seems to be in good hands.