Bears Gain Clarity on the Structure of Cole Kmet's Contract Extension
Three names pop up when you consider potential contract extensions for the Chicago Bears: Jaylon Johnson, Cole Kmet, and Darnell Mooney. Johnson's recent acquisition of an agent suggests he's geared up for negotiations. Mooney, despite being a favorite at Halas Hall, had his previous season hampered by an ankle injury, which led to a dip in his performance. Kmet, on the other hand, finished the season in style, amassing 544 yards and a personal best of seven touchdowns. Kmet's performance caught the attention of GM Ryan Poles, who has mentioned that he's keen on settling a deal with him.
The major roadblock, unsurprisingly, is money. The question is: what would be a fair financial compensation for Kmet? It's clear that he's not on par with titans like Travis Kelce or George Kittle, but he's far from being a benchwarmer. There's got to be a middle ground. The Jacksonville Jaguars might have given a clue. Recent news broke that they agreed to a three-year extension with tight end Evan Engram, worth $41.5 million. This totals up to $13.83 million annually, making him the sixth highest paid player in his position in the NFL.
This could serve as a reference for Kmet in his negotiations.At 24, Kmet is younger than the 28-year-old Engram. Although Engram had a higher tally of receiving yards last season (766 to Kmet's 544), Kmet outdid him in touchdowns (7 to 4). This places their productivity on a similar level. Furthermore, Kmet excels in blocking, making him a more versatile asset. If Engram's receiving skills are worth that sum for the Jaguars, Kmet's dual utility should hold similar value for the Bears. This is a reasonable argument, but the response from GM Poles is yet to be seen.
Poles is clearly a fan of Kmet. However, it's crucial to remember that Poles wasn't the one who drafted him and hasn't marked the tight end position as "premium" when deliberating about money and resource allocation. Is he prepared to place Kmet on the same pay scale as Mark Andrews? That's a tough riddle to solve. There's no denying that Kmet adds value to the Bears' offensive play, but he's not a superstar. However, with only his second year in the same offensive system, there could be room for further growth.
In all honesty, the Bears do have the funds to facilitate a Kmet extension. He's a valuable player and is highly regarded by Justin Fields. Securing a homegrown talent like Kmet could send a positive signal on all fronts.
| POLL | ||
16 JUILLET | 79 ANSWERS Bears Gain Clarity on the Structure of Cole Kmet's Contract Extension Should the Bears extend Cole Kmet? | ||
| Yes | 73 | 92.4 % |
| No | 6 | 7.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
