The Chicago Bears are set to kick off their 2025 roster-building with a strong new voice at Halas Hall. Head coach Ben Johnson will join forces with GM Ryan Poles, creating an unpredictable strategy for NFL free agency and the 2025 draft.

But signing free agents and drafting a new rookie class aren’t the only ways a team can improve. The Bears could decide a trade is in order, especially after news broke that Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett wants out of Cleveland.

For the Bears to pull off a trade, even if it isn’t a blockbuster for a player like Garrett, they must be willing to part ways with draft picks or players that a trade partner will find appealing.

Enter tight end Cole Kmet.

According to a recent breakdown of the Bears’ most appealing trade assets, Kmet ranked in the top three.

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“Cole Kmet is the trade candidate who would probably bring the best return,” Bleacher Report’s scouting department wrote. “If Ben Johnson views him as someone who can play the Sam LaPorta role in his Bears offense, then he’s worth holding onto. However, he’s in the final year of his contract, and they might prefer to target a talent-rich tight end draft in April for a replacement.”

First, let’s correct one minor detail: Kmet is not in the final year of his contract. He signed a four-year, $50 million extension on July 26, 2023, that keeps him in Chicago through 2027.

But the point still remains. If Johnson doesn’t envision using Kmet the same way he used LaPorta in Detroit, it’s worth wondering whether keeping the former Golden Domer in town is worth it.

Still, trading Cole Kmet would be a major mistake for the Bears—unless an unreal offer comes from a tight end-needy team, which seems unlikely. Plus, Kmet doesn’t appear to be the kind of trade piece that could tip the scales in a blockbuster deal.

The bottom line? The Chicago Bears are better off keeping a veteran leader like Kmet, who embodies the professionalism, integrity, and accountability that Johnson wants in his team.