The Bears' worst fears were confirmed Friday morning when testing showed tight end Cole Kmet will miss the rest of the season with a right knee injury.
“He's going to be sorely missed,” coach Ben Johnson said. “Really, he's Chicago. He's been here his whole life and he's a big part of our heartbeat. So it stinks. It does.
“I hate it for him, I hate it for his teammates as well.”
Kmet hurt his knee late in the fourth quarter of Thursday night’s 30-24 win against the Patriots after catching a nine-yard pass along the Bears' sideline. Shocked teammates gathered around him before he was carted to the locker room.
The 27-year-old tight end was drafted in 2020 in the same second round as teammate Jaylon Johnson. He’s signed through next year, carrying a $15.4 million salary cap hit against just a $5.4 million dead cap charge.
Kmet had 10 catches for 87 yards this season but was part of the league’s best rushing attack as the Bears’ most reliable blocking tight end.
"I don't have the words to describe what Cole is to me, what Cole is to this team, this organization," quarterback Caleb Williams said Thursday night. "He's the longest-tenured Bear, I believe. And so, he's been through it. And it's challenging. He's tough. And I'll be with him. I'll be right there with him through every step of whatever the injury is. Cole's been there for me every step of the way. Through the first year, the second year and now through this year. So, I can only do the same for him.”
Ben Johnson is among the league leaders in using multiple tight ends on the same play and figures to keep doing the same. Rookie third-round pick Sam Roush’s playing time will increase —“We’ve been very pleased with the improvement that he’s made,” Johnson said — and the Bears figure to promote either Stephen Carlson or Qadir Ismail from the practice squad. Johnson offered up a more unconventional option, too — using swing tackle Ozzy Trapilo as the third tight end in “Jumbo” packages.
“[Kmet] was consistently one of the highest-graded players on our offense, week-in and week-out,” Johnson said. “He will be missed, there’s no question about it. But in terms of what we do, it’s not gonna change a whole lot. ...
"The train keeps rolling along. Someone else has to step up."
The roster spot the Bears opened up by putting Kmet on injured reserve Friday was filled by defensive end Montez Sweat, who returned from a two-game drug suspension that was consistent with testing positive for diuretics or other performance-enhancing drug-masking agents.
The Bears had seven sacks in Sweat’s absence after posting 11 in five games with him.
