Bears TE Cole Kmet back for seventh season, says, ‘never really felt I would be playing anywhere else’

There was no certainty Bears mainstay tight end Cole Kmet would be back, something he talked openly about last season, but as the team began its offseason training program Monday, he was at Halas Hall as usual.

“I did a lot of the things they asked me to do coming into [last season]; I felt really good about that,” Kmet said. “Got to my exit meeting with them about right after the game against L.A. If you were to ask me right after that, I didn’t think I was going anywhere.

“Kind of felt that throughout the offseason. Look, Ryan [Poles] and Ben [Johnson, I really take them at their word for what they say. They’re very honest guys. They expressed an interest in me being here, staying here and all that. But I also understand if an offer comes across their plate for them to make a move or them to make a change, they would definitely do that. No, I never really felt I would be playing anywhere else this year.”

The Bears drafted Kmet, now 27, in the second round in 2020, and he is one of the few holdovers from the Ryan Pace era. Bears general manager Ryan Poles extended Kmet on a four-year, $50 million deal in 2023, though the team has a fairly affordable out on that contract going into this season. That was prominent in his mind last year when the team drafted tight end Colston Loveland with the No. 10 overall pick, and he told the Sun-Times in August, “I don’t think you should ever feel safe.”

With Loveland ascending as a rookie and new coach Ben Johnson emphasizing a diverse set of skill players, Kmet finished with 30 catches for 347 yards and two touchdowns. It was his second-worst season in every category.