The Chicago Bears signed Cole Kmet to a four-year, $50 million deal in July of 2023, but Gerald Everett might be the top tight end in this offense. The South Alabama product joined the Bears following two solid seasons with the Chargers, serving as the third or fourth option in the passing attack. Back in March, Chicago gave him a two-year, $12 million contract after recording 51 receptions for 411 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games.
So far, that investment seems to be paying off, as preseason action indicates Gerald Everett is currently atop the Bears depth chart. According to Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus, Everett saw more action in 11 personnel looks (only one tight end on the field), which indicates he will be the starter in Week 1.
“Gerald Everett is the Bears' new lead tight end: Everett appears to be ahead of Cole Kmet in the Bears' tight end rotation…Everett started the game with Kmet but then played each of the next two snaps out of 11 personnel. The Bears continued to rotate the tight ends, at times… https://t.co/SIv4VFcmyf
— 32BeatWriters (@32BeatWriters) August 11, 2024
Gerald Everett Outplaying Cole Kmet In Bears Offense
Preseason football is the first real action NFL fans see for months on end, so it’s easy to overreact to small snippets of news. However, it’s important to take all of this in context and remember that the results rarely matter. At this point last year, Bryce Young looked like the most pro-ready rookie of the bunch, Kenny Pickett was destined for stardom, and Terrace Marshall was going to be the star of Carolina’s offense. None of that happened, because opposing teams aren’t gameplanning for their specific opponents during the preseason.
Results don’t matter, but usage does. Teams spent the month of August trying to figure out what they have and which personnel groupings are most important. Will Gerald Everett relegate Cole Kmet to being the league’s most overpriced backup? Probably not. However, Kmet was the lone tight end in this offense for the past few years, and Everett’s usage implies this will no longer be the case in 2024. If last week’s game is any indication, these two will split work throughout the season.
From a fantasy football perspective, this likely means neither tight end will carry any value in 2024. Even if Kmet had the full-time starting role, he’d struggle to see targets while sharing the field with D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and rookie Rome Odunze. However, if he’s on a snap share, then it’s hard to envision any world where he’s anything more than a touchdown-dependent streaming option.
Main Photo: Kamil Krzaczynksi – USA Today Sports
