Bears Sam Roush Selection Creates Cole Kmet Trade Window They Could Exploit During Draft

The Chicago Bears just threw the fans their first curveball of the 2026 NFL defense. In Round 1, the Bears pulled off a heist with their pick of safety Dillon Thieneman. Tonight, the Bears drafted Iowa center Logan Jones with their second-round pick, who is the potential long-term replacement for Drew Dalman after his sudden retirement this offseason.

But after trading the No. 60 pick to the Titans and moving back in the order, the Bears made an interesting selection at No. 69: Stanford tight end Sam Roush. Despite the defensive line still in desperate need of reinforcements, Ryan Poles apparently found it wise to spend this pick on another tight end. This pick, of course, demands an answer to the question of Cole Kmet's future with the Bears. Is the longest-tenured member of Chicago's offense on the chopping block? And could a move be made during the draft to add more capital to the end of this draft, or in 2027?

Cole Kmet's value to the Bears extends beyond the stat sheet

While it seems likely at this point that Kmet will eventually be playing for another team, I don't think the selection of Roush puts his roster spot in immediate jeopardy. Sure, Kmet is no longer the top tight end in the locker room, and it's not even close. That's Colston Loveland. But Kmet is still an experienced veteran and a leader in the locker room. He has a feel for the game that Loveland hasn't yet acquired, and he's a willing and able blocker.

But that's not the only reason why Kmet is important to this Bears team. Don't forget that Ben Johnson uses two tight end sets more than almost anyone else in the NFL. He loves putting those big bodies out on the field, and he even uses three tight ends fairly often, too. Without Kmet, Johnson's offense would lose a good deal of firepower.

Most importantly, Kmet is a mentor to the younger players. He's seen plenty of ups and downs during his time in the NFL, and he can help these rookies navigate the transition smoothly, and that's going to be doubly important for Roush. As a tight end himself, he can make like a sponge and soak up as much knowledge from Kmet as he possibly can.

The Bottom Line

For those with Cole Kmet jerseys at home, I wouldn't worry about an imminent deal. Kmet is too valuable to this team as it currently is to trade away at this point, especially since they just restructured his contract. Besides, Kmet may not be Chicago's best tight end anymore, but there's almost no chance that a third-round rookie would beat him out for the TE2 spot.

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