Should the Bears sign Cole Kmet to a contract extension this offseason?

Kmet will enter the final year of his contract next season and is now eligible for a new deal, should general manager Ryan Poles want to give him one. The Bears could wait until next year to lock up Kmet long-term, but they risk him enjoying an even better season and breaking the bank in unrestricted free agency. It's highly unlikely Chicago would use the franchise tag on a tight end in 2024.

Cole Kmet has fans inside Halas Hall, including coach Matt Eberflus, who sang his tight end's praises in November. If it was up to the coaching staff, there's no doubt Kmet would be a Bear for a long time.

“Cole is a special guy,” Eberflus said. “He’s energy, he’s enthusiasm. He brings light into a room. He’s everything we stand for.”

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Ryan Poles said Cole Kmet was a standout player in 2022

The Bears are entering Year 2 of the Poles and Eberflus regime, and players like Kmet represent the culture they want to build inside the locker room. His on-field play was encouraging, too. Poles singled out Kmet during his end-of-year press conference as a player who stood out during the 2022 season.

“Yeah, I mean, the one that stands out to me this year, I was just proud of and that spent time with him, talking about it, but I thought Cole did a really good job,” Poles said. “I thought he elevated his game from the film that I watched last year to what it was this year, so that’s exciting. I mean, that’s one that comes to mind right now.”