Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles made the first significant contract extension of his tenure this week. Poles and the Bears agreed to a four-year, $50 million extension with tight end Cole Kmet. The deal includes $32.8 million guaranteed, making Kmet one of the top-10 paid players at his position.
Kmet was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame in hopes of bringing stability to the tight end position. The local product grew with the team and after splitting time with veteran Jimmy Graham, became the unquestioned TE1 in 2022. That was Kmet’s best year as a pro up to this point. He caught 50 receptions for 544 yards and seven touchdowns, all of which led the team last year while establishing a strong rapport with quarterback Justin Fields.
Now the Bears are betting on Kmet to continue to ascend in his development. Despite entering his fourth season in the NFL, Kmet is still just 24 years old and is just now entering the prime of his career. The expectation is he will continue to be a valuable weapon on the Bears offense for years to come.
Here is our initial grade of the extension: