NFL Rumors: Cole Kmet, Bears Agree to 4-Year, $50M Contract Extension; $32.8M GTD
Mike Chiari@@mikechiari
Featured Columnist IVJuly 26, 2023
Tight end Cole Kmet and the Chicago Bears reportedly agreed to a four-year contract extension Wednesday.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Field Yates, the deal is worth $50 million with $32.8 million guaranteed and $20 million in new first-year cash.
Kmet had been set to enter the final year of his four-year rookie contract in 2023 before the new agreement was reached.
Chicago selected Kmet with the No. 43 overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft, and while the Bears have not enjoyed much offensive success during his young career, he has been among the most consistent producers.
After registering 28 receptions for 243 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie, Kmet set career highs in 2021 with 60 catches for 612 yards, although he did not find the end zone at all.
Kmet's overall receiving numbers were down a bit last season to the tune of 50 grabs for 544 yards, but he developed into a major red-zone threat for quarterback Justin Fields, reeling in a career-high seven touchdowns.
Perhaps most importantly, Kmet has been the model of durability over his three NFL seasons, missing no games due to injury.
The expectation is that Fields will take a big leap forward in 2023 and firmly establish himself as the Bears' franchise quarterback, and if that happens, Kmet may have a significant hand in it.
Even though Kmet's numbers left something to be desired last season, he led the Bears in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, and there is plenty of room for him and the offense as a whole to improve during the upcoming season.
The Bears added wide receiver D.J. Moore in a trade with the Carolina Panthers this offseason, selected Tyler Scott in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft and signed tight end Robert Tonyan in free agency, so Fields will have far more weapons than he did in his first two seasons.
Kmet became something of a safety valve for Fields last season, though, which is why it made sense for the Bears to invest in the talented tight end on a long-term deal.