After some middling seasons, the Chicago Bears are putting together what looks to be a very explosive offense. General manager Ryan Poles did an excellent job of upgrading the supporting cast around quarterback Justin Fields and this is a group ready to take that next step.
The offensive line needed a lot of work, so Poles made two major upgrades. In free agency, guard Nate Davis was signed away from the Tennessee Titans. With their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Bears selected tackle Darnell Wright, giving them some stability up front.
That was much needed as Fields was sacked a league-high 55 times in 15 games last season. Some of that was on him still learning the position, but the offensive line performance was not good.
The weapons around him also got a major boost as D.J. Moore was acquired from the Carolina Panthers in the blockbuster trade centered around the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Moore gives Fields a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver, something he has been lacking.
The presence of Moore and free agent tight end Robert Tonyan will help elevate the rest of the offensive group. One player that could be ready to really break out is tight end Cole Kmet, who the Bears should prioritize working out an extension with.
A second-round pick out of Notre Dame in the 2020 NFL Draft, Kmet has made strides every season of his career. He has become an integral part of their offense and is someone the team should want to keep around for as long as possible.
Kmet was one of the only bright spots in the Bears’ passing game in 2022. He led the team with 50 receptions, 544 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as he and Fields built a rapport right away. When targeted, a quarterback rating of 105.0 was recorded, as plenty of success was found when looking for Kmet.
Money isn’t an issue as Chicago has $31.6 million in cap space remaining. Even with Tonyan now in the mix, ensuring that Kmet is locked up long-term should be atop the to-do list once training camp rolls around.
A reliable target in the passing game and a key piece to the team’s running game as a blocker, Kmet is a long-term keeper for the Bears. Now, it is time to reward that with a new contract extension.
