While addressing the media during a joint press conference with general manager Ryan Poles following the conclusion of the NFL Draft on April 26, Bears head coach Ben Johnson signaled that significant depth chart changes could be on the horizon.
“We talked about it the moment the players got back in the building [April 7],” Johnson said. “It was going to be a competitive environment. There is no depth chart right now. If you want to play, you’ve got to go earn it. If you want a role, you’ve got to go earn it. They know that. We were very straightforward and honest with them when they came in the building.”
“I think all we did this weekend is we might’ve just turned up the notch a couple of dials for certain people in this building,” said Johnson. “That’s a good thing. That’s a healthy thing. That’s where you bring out the best not only in your team but in each individual.”
Cole Kmet Could be Main Target for Depth Chart Shakeup
After the Bears selected tight end Colston Loveland with the No. 10 pick in this year’s NFL Draft, the tight end position has become a hotbed of rumors for possible depth chart changes. Bryan Perez of Sports Illustrated wrote that Kmet was “named the Bears’ most expendable player following the 2025 NFL Draft.”
Cole Kmet is entering his sixth season after serving as a sure-handed security blanket for Chicago’s last two rookie quarterbacks. Since signing a four-year, $50 million extension in July 2023, Kmet ranks second on the team in receptions (120), yards (1,193) and touchdowns (9). He trails only DJ Moore in all three categories.
Pro Football Network’s Sterling Xie pointed out that it’s possible that head coach Ben Johnson carries over his strategy of using multi-tight end sets at a high clip, as “the Lions used multi-tight end sets at the seventh-highest rate last season (42.5%).”
But if the Bears decide to prioritize Loveland’s rookie contract with their other offensive weapons and Kmet wants out, Xie made the case that it may make sense for the Bears to look for a trade partner. A post-June 1 trade would open up $10 million in cap space, while only costing them $1.6 million in dead money for the next three years.
DJ Moore Will Need to Serve as Veteran Presence Among Young Receiving Corps
“I’m going to be curious to see what guys look like when the ball’s not in their hands on offense,” Johnson said. “We have a lot of weapons. So how are you going to run your route when you might not be No. 1 in the progression? How are you going to block for your teammate when he has the ball? Because when you do those things right, then as a coaching staff, we’re going to want to get you the ball a little bit more. It all ties together. It all goes hand-in-hand, and that’s the beauty behind it.”
It’s hard not to think about DJ Moore when Ben Johnson discusses the effort level of guys without the ball on offense. Moore came under fire for walking off the field mid-play during the Bears’ Week 9 loss to the Arizona Cardinals last season. However, he should play an important role this year as a veteran presence among a young receiving corps, so Bears fans are hoping he leads by example and returns to being a 1,000-yard receiver after coming up just short last year.
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