All-NFC North Team: Dependability Not Enough for Cole Kmet
Over the last three seasons, no one on the Bears has caught more passes than Cole Kmet.
Kmet's 183 receptions in that period testify to his consistency as a target, once he had established himself within two different offenses.
Kmet doesn't put up the really big catch numbers like T.J. Hockenson has in Minnesota and Detroit, and like Sam LaPorta did last year in Detroit, but he doesn't need to do this within the Bears offense this year.
With Gerald Everett added to a deep and strong target mix, and a strong blocker available at the position in 40-year-old Marcedes Lewis, the season for Kmet can become one of quality over quantity.
He could have more of a chance to look like the catch-and-runaway-truck tight end he was at Notre Dame than the the "Y" position shorter-yardage receiver and red zone threat.
Kmet hit 12.0 yards per catch in his final college season but has never been higher than 10.8 in the NFL and averages 10 for his NFL career.
So far, Kmet has had a career living up to the contract extension of $50 million for four years he received last year, a career that definitely puts him in the top third of tight ends in the league.
It's not the type of career to land him any Pro Bowl spots, however, or even a spot on the preseason All-NFC North team. The competition there includes two tight ends who must do the kind of work many wide receivers are required to do.
Consistency and dependability are the two words to describe Kmet's game. With all the targets now available to Caleb Williams, Kmet's overall numbers only figure to go down this year, but it doesn't mean his dependability needs to decline.
"Obviously confidence for me has just been growing from year to year," Kmet said.
Neither LaPorta nor Hockenson ever posted an 81.1% catch-to-target ratio like Kmet did last year, and it's a figure he has improved every season he's been in the league. The Bears' passer rating when targeting Kmet in the last two years has been 105.0 and 112.9, And this was from quarterbacks who had combined overall passer ratings of 82.2 and 80.3.
Within the NFC North, only Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (16) has more touchdown catches over the last two seasons than Kmet. Kmet's 13 TD catches is the same number Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson made and three more than any other division tight end in that period.
-Gene Chamberlain, Bears On SI
Sam LaPorta
LaPorta wasted very little time adapting to the NFL world, as he had a record-setting rookie campaign in 2023. It was enough to earn him preseason All-NFC North status over T.J. Hockenson. He proved to be an exceptional piece within the offense and was ahead of the curve as a run-blocker. While his numbers in college weren’t ideal in Iowa’s struggling offense, he performed at an elite level in his first NFL season.
The Lions elected to not add an external free agent at the wide receiver position after the departure of Josh Reynolds, so even more targets could be coming LaPorta’s way in 2024. He proved himself worthy of this workload after an 86-catch debut season.
He has reliable hands as well as yards after catch ability, which makes him a big play threat. Additionally, LaPorta demonstrated an excellent rapport with Jared Goff throughout the 2024 campaign. He gives the offense a solid security blanket when other options such as Amon-Ra St. Brown are taken away.
Last season, LaPorta was a second-team All-Pro selection. He is the latest tight end to be successful after playing collegiately at Iowa, joining fellow NFC North standout and former Lion T.J. Hockenson. He appears poised for another big year in 2024.
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2024 Preseason All-NFC North
QB: Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
RB: Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
WR: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
WR: DJ Moore, Chicago Bears
Slot WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
TE: Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
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