In February, Pop Crave reported that Cole Kmet told his agency that he was ready for a change. The Chicago Bears tight end believes he can be a TE1 on a less crowded roster.Other than Kmet, Ben Johnson’s franchise includes rookie Colston Loveland, whom they drafted as the No. 10 overall pick in 2025, as well as Durham Smythe, Stephen Carlson, and Nikola Kalinic. But that was February’s picture. Now the landscape has changed. Smythe went to the Lamar Jackson-led Baltimore Ravens, where he may find Mark Andrews as TE1. Anyhow, the roster still includes Carlson and Kalinic, but both were signed to Reserve/Future Contract in January 2026. It may seem crowded for Cole Kmet because of the rookie who took his spot.And so, trade rumors have started doing the rounds on the internet, with some suggesting the Chicago TE as a trade option for Brock Purdy’s San Francisco 49ers for a fourth-round pick. Why the Niners? So, their star TE, George Kittle, could use some time to recover.
NFL Trade Rumors : Brock Purdy’s 49ers linked to Bears TE Cole Kmet
Heavy Sports’ Max Dible reports Chicago could use one of their three compensatory picks on Kmet to acquire a fourth-round pick No. 133 by trading him to San Francisco. He could serve as a one-year stopgap tight end for the Niners for as long as Kittle recovers. Kittle suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in the Wild Card Round of the 2025 season against the Philadelphia Eagles in Jan. 2026. His recovery timeline puts him on track for a midseason return in 2026. However, he told reporters in Jan. 2026 that he plans to return “well before November.”Then, in his March 2026 Bussin’ with the Boys podcast appearance, Kittle shared that the rehab was going great and that he’d be off crutches in a week or two [approx. April 2026]. A typical recovery timeline takes about 9 to 12 months, so he may not be back by Week 1. Niners may hunt for a steady and reliable backup. And that’s where Chicago’s Cole Kmet comes.
Chicago could trade or restructure Cole Kmet’s contract
Dible reports the Bears currently have $1M in cap space. They need cap room to sign draft picks next month. Kmet’s trade could save nearly $10M in cap space in each of the next two seasons for the Bears, provided they make the move post June 1.The franchise has reportedly found a Cole Kmet successor in Loveland, especially after they elevated him to the TE1 role as a rookie.Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox reports that the Kmet could be one of the few most notable NFL cut candidates following early free agency. Knox suggests they could trade him or restructure his contract rather than release him. Despite being a reliable contributor, the 27-year-old was replaced by a rookie in 2025. The veteran recorded 347 yards and two touchdowns while the rookie amassed a team-high 713 receiving yards. Knox reports that the Bears spent heavily to improve their 2025 defense by adding defensive tackle Neville Gallimore, linebackers Jack Sanborn and Devin Bush, and safety Coby Bryant. This has left them with a league-low cap space of $1M. Kmet is still two years into the four-year, $50M contract extension. If Chicago can’t restructure or find a trade franchise for him, they could release him after June 1 and save $9M. A pre-June 1 release would clear around $7.4M cap space. They could release him if they find some depth behind Loveland in the draft. Knox suggests that Kmet is ideal for any team needing a pass-catching tight end. He clocked 288 passes for 2,939 yards and 21 touchdowns in six seasons. According to Spotrac, the Notre Dame alum is scheduled to earn an $8.9M base salary, a $1M roster bonus, and a $100K workout bonus, while carrying an $11.6M cap hit and a $4.2M dead cap value in 2026. His total career earnings are over $39M. Would Kmet be traded? Remains to be seen…
