LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — Near the end of the Bears’ second full-squad practice during OTAs in May, veteran tight end Cole Kmet got an earful from head coach Ben Johnson when his pre-snap stance wasn't properly aligned.
Kmet was cheating before the snap, and that didn't meet Johnson's standard for focusing on details.
“I was trying to get you the damn football,” Kmet recalled Johnson saying. “It all comes from a good place.”
The 26-year-old Kmet welcomes the hard coaching from Johnson, the third different head coach Kmet has had as he's now in his sixth season with the Bears. Kmet believes Johnson could be just what he and his team need.
Kmet had a disappointing 2024 season, hauling in just 47 receptions for 474 yards and four scores. He was often a forgotten player as offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's scheme failed to prioritize Kmet like he was in the past. Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown – who led the team’s offense after Waldron’s firing in November – didn't maximize Kmet either.
During his three years as Detroit's offensive coordinator, Johnson directed a dynamic attack that prioritized the tight end position. Lions tight end Sam LaPorta has a combined 146 receptions for 1,615 yards and 17 touchdowns in 33 games across the last two seasons.
As he implements his offensive system, Johnson sees plenty of potential for Kmet.
“It’s high intelligence factor, clear from the get-go,” Johnson said. “He’s a pro, takes his work seriously, positive energy, great teammate. You could tell instantly when he was around the other offensive players, the rest of the team, there’s an instant respect level. I believe he’s been here the longest out of anybody on the roster right now and you can tell that they respect him for that. There’s a lot to be said there. He’s done things the right way for a long time and so it’s been great, not just him learning the offense, but helping others in the process as well.”
The Bears selected tight end Colston Loveland with the 10th overall pick in the NFL Draft in April, but they still believe Kmet will be a key piece in their offense.
Shortly after Johnson spoke on the phone with Loveland on draft night, he called Kmet and informed him of what the selection meant. Johnson views his Bears offense as best-suited with strength at the tight end position.
Kmet has three years remaining on his current contract, and he's eager to work with Loveland.
“Getting to know Colston has been great so far,” Kmet said. “And I want to give him as much knowledge as I can, give him all the things that I’ve learned and get him up to pace as quickly as possible so that he can go out there and be the best football player that he can be this year and going forward. Yeah, so, I’m excited about that. It’s been awesome to get to know him in these past few weeks since he’s been drafted. I think he’s going to fit just fine in our room and in the offense as well.
“You understand that there’s going to be areas where we complement each other. And there’s obviously – just like any position room – there's going to be areas that we compete for things. That’s football and that’s how it should be. So, I'm excited about it, to not only push him and for him to push me and we’re going to make each other better. I think the goal with it is to become the best 12 (personnel) tandem in the league and see where we can take it from there.”
A second-round pick in 2020, Kmet is one of the Bears’ longest-tenured players. He has seen the revolving door at Halas Hall spin frequently, with new teammates, coaches and executives entering the building.
Through that all, Kmet hasn't been a part of a winning season with the Bears. He hopes that's about to change with Johnson now leading the way forward.
“It's easy to go, ‘woe is me,’” Kmet said. “But then you also look at it, like, unfortunately, this is mostly NFL – there's maybe eight organizations out there that have crazy consistency over a 10-year period. That's just not what we've been in, and you kind of get used to the chaos a little bit as you've been in here, and you learn to deal with those things and you learn to adapt.
“It’s definitely frustrating when you get to playoff time and teams are still playing and you're not, and you kind of feel those things. But you kind of understand it, it's part of being in the NFL, and I'm optimistic that this will be the last time that we do these crazy changes – at least in my career, hopefully.”
Minicamp underway
The Bears are holding their three-day veteran minicamp this week at Halas Hall. Attendance is mandatory for all players, and the entire roster was present, Johnson said.
Linebacker T.J. Edwards, nickelback Kyler Gordon and rookie receiver Luther Burden III were each sidelined Tuesday due to soft tissue injuries. Offensive tackle Braxton Jones (ankle), guard Ryan Bates (undisclosed) and linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga (undisclosed) also didn't practice.
The Bears will hold a three-day portion of OTAs next week at Halas Hall. It will primarily focus on rookies, though veterans are invited to attend.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.