Kmet’s two-year, roughly $10–11.6 million-per-year contract carries no guarantees, making him a prime cap casualty candidate. A cut would incur about $3.2 million in dead cap and roughly $8.4 million in immediate cap savings, a meaningful figure for a team tight against the cap. Trading him is possible, but the current market for starting-caliber tight ends could limit leverage, as players such as David Njoku, Kyle Pitts, and Isaiah Likely are expected to hit free agency.
Despite the financial logic to move on, removing Kmet would risk undermining Chicago’s two-tight-end scheme that has driven its success under Ben Johnson. The Bears frequently deployed 12- and 13-personnel, with Loveland and Kmet creating matchup problems for defenses and expanding passing windows for Williams. Eliminating Kmet could expose the offense to easier defensive reads and reduce the elements that have helped the unit thrive.
In short, Chicago faces a difficult balance: part with a veteran core weapon to manage the cap, or preserve a high-functioning tight end duo that has become central to their offensive identity. The decision will likely shape the Bears’ strategy and personnel mix heading into the 2026 offseason.
