The Chicago Bears‘ tight end room has the potential to look dramatically different in 2025 than it did in 2024, and could play a starring role in new head coach Ben Johnson’s offense.
Chicago already released Gerald Everett, in part to allow the veteran tight end to latch on with a contender before the free agent market opens in earnest, and because this is likely a position that the Bears could look to significantly upgrade this offseason.
Not only will Cole Kmet likely take on an expanded role in Johnson’s offense, but whether it’s during free agency next month or the NFL Draft later this spring, general manager Ryan Poles and the Bears could look to aggressively add top talent at tight end.
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Johnson’s system relies heavily on 12-personnel (two-tight end sets) and in Detroit, Sam LaPorta became one of the Lions’ most reliable and explosive weapons in the passing game.
If Johnson is going to replicate that kind of success in Chicago, Poles and the front office are going to need to get to work adding high-end playmakers to pair with Kmet, who caught 47 passes for 474 yards and four touchdowns last season.
“Part of his scheme,” Poles told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine, of the Bears’ plans at tight end. “And he showed it in Detroit and I know it won’t exactly be the same, but he is going to put those guys in a position to be successful.
“Usually with a young quarterback, tight ends are able to have a lot of production. Making sure those guys are lined up, have the chemistry, seeing things the same thing. I believe from his past, that should be able to take off pretty good.”
Poles is correct that having a reliable pass-catching tight end is paramount to a young quarterback’s development, especially given their propensity to thrive after the catch on underneath routes and high-percentage throws.
Whether the Bears aggressively target Penn State’s Tyler Warren in the first round of the NFL Draft, or an established veteran like Zach Ertz, who has a Super Bowl ring on his finger and who Jayden Daniels had a whopping 113.9 passer rating when targeting last season, Chicago is likely to make some bold moves at the position in the months ahead.
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