Bears know what they could get for a Cole Kmet trade, but it would not be worth it

Bears know what they could get for a Cole Kmet trade, but it would not be worth it originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago Bears have a crowded tight end room, with Colston Loveland, their first-round pick a year ago, leading the pack.

Cole Kmet is a nice backup, though he will be expensive in 2027 with a $15.4 million cap hit. Add in rookie Sam Roush from the third-round this year, and the Bears' TE depth chart is deep.

A Kmet trade is very possible, as has been rumored at times this offseason. And Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report projected that the Bears could get in return for trading Kmet.

"Projected trade value: Conditional 2027 5th-round pick," Knox writes. "He only turned 27 in March and should still have plenty of long-term value to teams other than Chicago."

A 2027 5th-round pick isn't the worst return, but the Bears would be better off keeping him as he's worth more to their team than a fifth-rounder could be worth in the future.

Bears get 5th-round trade value on Cole Kmet that would not be worth it

Chicago has a strong tight end room, and Kmet likely won't be a part of the team beyond the 2026 season. But Knox named Kmet as a trade candidate this offseason.

Sure, if the Bears could get a third-round pick for Kmet, then a trade would make a lot of sense. But a fifth-round pick likely won't be enough for the Bears to receive when it comes to a key offensive player.