(670 The Score) Bears rookie tight end Cole Kmet had a jersey of new teammate Jimmy Graham when he was a kid.
So hearing the praise of Graham brought a smile to Kmet's face.
“His football intelligence and his ability to soak in these plays and understand his assignments and to understand football and defenses is extremely impressive for a young kid who doesn't have a game under his belt," Graham said. "That’s been the most impressive thing that I can say I notice with him. Also, he’s every bit of 260. He reminds me a young me.
"The amount of potential that the kid has and the amount of talent that he has is truly unbelievable.”
A second-round pick of the Bears in April, Kmet was brought in to man the team's Y tight end position. That would potentially create a tandem with Graham, a natural U tight end.
First, Kmet must get up to speed with the NFL game. He found that out the hard way this week when turning the edge for a block and finding outside linebacker Khalil Mack waiting for him.
"That’s a little wakeup call for me," Kmet said.
Kmet and Graham are part of a Bears tight ends group that has been overhauled after it disappointed in 2019. The Bears' leading tight end in receptions was Trey Burton with 14. J.P. Holtz led the group with 91 receiving yards for the season.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.