Bear Digest

Chicago Bears insider hints at tight end as key offseason target for GM Ryan Poles

The Chicago Bears have a pressing need for depth at tight end behind veteran Cole Kmet, and one team insider suggests GM Ryan Poles plans to address it this offseason.
Bryan Perez|
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Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet is undeniably one of the team's leaders and brightest stars on offense, even if his production in 2024 left much to be desired.

Kmet, however, was largely a victim of circumstance last season. Former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron inexplicably minimized his role in the passing game, limiting him to just 47 catches for 474 yards and four touchdowns. The downturn was especially frustrating for Kmet, who was expected to take another leap after his breakout 2023 season, with many believing he was on the verge of becoming one of the NFL’s top young tight ends.

Regardless, the Chicago Bears have a proven talent at TE1 heading into the 2025 season with Kmet. However, regarding TE2 and beyond, the roster is void of talent. Literally.

General manager Ryan Poles moved on from last offseason’s free-agent bust, Gerald Everett, and while Marcedes Lewis continues to defy Father Time, he’s now more of a glorified sixth offensive lineman.

Fortunately for the Bears, the 2025 offseason presents plenty of opportunities for Poles to upgrade the tight end depth chart. And according to the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs, that’s precisely what he plans to do.

"When Poles and Johnson talked about the supply this offseason — in free agency and the draft — aligning well with the team’s needs, this is no doubt one of the positions they were thinking about," Biggs wrote from the 2025 NFL Combine.

Chicago Bears could target second-tier free agent tight end as backup for Cole Kmet

Poles is unlikely to spend a high pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on a tight end, given the Bears' more pressing needs along the offensive and defensive lines. In fact, even running back holds greater value for Chicago in the early rounds than tight end.

That makes free agency the most likely avenue for Poles to explore. With veterans like Mike Gesicki and JuWan Johnson set to hit the open market, the Bears will have solid options to add another talented pass-catching tight end to the roster.

That makes free agency the most likely avenue for Poles to explore. With veterans like Mike Gesicki and JuWan Johnson set to hit the open market, the Bears will have solid options to add another talented pass-catching tight end to the roster.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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