Bengals Propose Trade for Bears' Cole Kmet to Give Burrow Another Target

The deal would send the tight end to Cincinnati in exchange for draft picks.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 5:44am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a football game or match, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color and shape, conveying the conceptual idea of a trade reshuffling the offensive talent between two teams.A cubist interpretation of the proposed trade between the Bears and Bengals, highlighting the strategic reshuffling of offensive talent.Chicago Today

Rumors suggest the Chicago Bears could look to trade tight end Cole Kmet, and a recent proposal would send him to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick. The move would give star quarterback Joe Burrow another reliable target in the passing game, potentially upgrading over the Bengals' current tight end Michael Gesicki on a similar contract.

Why it matters

The Bengals have one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, led by Burrow and featuring star wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Adding a talented tight end like Kmet could further bolster their passing attack and make them an even more formidable opponent.

The details

Kmet has been a solid performer for the Bears, but with the emergence of rookie tight end Colston Loveland and his strong connection with quarterback Caleb Williams, the Bears may look to move on from Kmet. The proposed trade would give the Bears a sixth-round pick in 2026 and a second-round pick in 2027 in exchange for Kmet, who would provide the Bengals with a reliable target in the short and intermediate passing game to complement their star wide receivers.

  • The Bears are reportedly considering trading Kmet this offseason.

The players

Cole Kmet

A tight end for the Chicago Bears who has been a solid performer but could be traded this offseason.

Joe Burrow

The star quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals, who would gain another reliable target in the passing game with the addition of Kmet.

Ja'Marr Chase

One of the Bengals' star wide receivers, who would benefit from having another threat in the passing game alongside Kmet.

Tee Higgins

The other star wide receiver for the Bengals, who would also benefit from the addition of Kmet to the offense.

Michael Gesicki

The Bengals' current starting tight end, who could potentially be replaced by the more talented Kmet in this proposed trade.

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What they’re saying

“Kmet fits that billing and presents star quarterback Joe Burrow with another reliable target in the passing game. The Bears tight end could be viewed as an immediate upgrade over Gesicki on a similar contract. He's a reliable target in the short and intermediate passing games and could help Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins find separation down the field.”

— Ethan Hutton, Writer

What’s next

The Bears will need to decide if they want to move on from Kmet this offseason, and the Bengals will need to evaluate if the proposed trade package is worth acquiring the talented tight end.

The takeaway

This potential trade would give the high-powered Bengals offense another weapon in the passing game, further solidifying their status as one of the top teams in the NFL. For the Bears, it could be a chance to recoup some draft capital and move on from Kmet, who may not fit their long-term plans.