Bears 2026 offseason preview: Where does Chicago stand at tight end?
· Yahoo Sports
The 2026 offseason is in full swing, and it's another important one for the Chicago Bears, who are looking to get back to the postseason in head coach Ben Johnson's second season.
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General manager Ryan Poles has some work to do to shore up key needs on the roster. After overhauling the offensive line last offseason, the focus shifts to the defensive line, which is the biggest concern, as well as safety and left tackle. But there's some work to be done with the salary cap before the start of the new league year as Chicago is currently projected to be $4.11 million over the cap. After three straight years of top-10 picks, the Bears will have to wait to pick in the latter part of the first round (No. 25) in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position to break down where Chicago stands entering the 2026 offseason. Rounding out the skill positions on offense is tight end, where the Bears have a superstar in the making in Colston Loveland, along with a quality TE2 in Cole Kmet.
Who's on the roster?
- Colston Loveland
- Cole Kmet
- Stephen Carlson
- Qadir Ismail
- Nikola Kalinic
The Bears upgraded their tight end room in a big way last offseason when they drafted Colston Loveland No. 10 overall out of Michigan to give them a new dynamic weapon in the passing game. While some were skeptical about choosing Loveland over Penn State's Tyler Warren, the former Wolverine showed why he was worth the investment. Loveland emerged as the best pass catcher on the team as the season wore on, catching 58 passes for 713 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season. Loveland set a record in the wild card win over the Green Bay Packers by becoming the first tight end to catch eight passes for over 100 yards in a playoff game. He finished the year as one of the better rookies in football, and his ceiling is sky-high entering Year 2.
Loveland's emergence effectively relegated Cole Kmet to a complementary role after serving as the primary tight end for the last four seasons. Kmet's production decreased across the board in 2025, totaling just 30 catches for 347 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season. Though he wasn't as much of a focal point in the passing game, Kmet thrived as a blocker in 12 personnel. He consistently sprung holes for running backs and provided superb pass blocking for Caleb Williams. Kmet is still under contract for two more seasons, but with a cap hit of $11.6 million, the Bears will likely sign him to an extension to reduce that number.
Stephen Carlson, Qadir Ismail, and Nikola Kalinic were all primarily practice squad players who saw limited action on the active roster. Each one signed a futures deal in January for the 2026 season.
Who's set to hit free agency?
- Durham Smythe
The Bears utilized three tight ends quite a bit in 2025, with Durham Smythe being the third behind Loveland and Kmet. Smythe signed with the Bears prior to last year's free agency after spending his entire career with the Miami Dolphins. In 2025, Smythe caught just four passes for 25 yards while playing in all 17 games as a primary blocking tight end. Given his history with Johnson and how well he integrated into the offense, there's a chance he's back in 2026.
Who might join the Bears?
If the Bears opt to sign a tight end in free agency, they won't be looking at the premier players available. Guys like Travis Kelce, David Njoku, and Dallas Goedert should all be hot commodities who can still be impactful receiving threats, but not for the Bears. They may look for players like Kyle Granson or Chris Manhertz as primary blocking options if they don't re-sign Smythe.
Position need: Low
The Bears appeared to have hit the jackpot with Loveland in the draft last year as he's on his way to NFL stardom. And at just 21 years old, playing a position that tends to be difficult to learn at the NFL level, he's going to be great for a long time. And Kmet is as solid as they come as a TE2. These two players work well together, and the Bears should be set for 2026 at the position. There is no need to try and land a big fish in free agency. Expect the Bears to find one more player to round out their room with Loveland and Kmet leading the way.cy. Expect the Bears to find one more player to round out their room with Loveland and Kmet leading the way.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears 2026 offseason preview: Where does Chicago stand at tight end?