Cole Kmet has gotten a taste of several different quarterbacks in his short NFL career. It started with Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles in 2020. Then it was Justin Fields and Andy Dalton in 2021. Last year, it was primarily Fields with Trevor Siemian and Nathan Peterman sprinkles. Almost all of them were disappointing as passers. So, one can understand if Kmet isn’t quick to be impressed by what quarterbacks do for this team. However, it seems his feelings on Tyson Bagent are stronger than you’d expect.
Kmet was asked about him after the undrafted rookie quarterback made the 53-man roster. The tight end admitted he’s already been taken aback at how advanced the kid is.
“His makeup’s outstanding. You can tell coming in the first day he got here. He’s worked his tail off in terms of understanding the offense and also defenses as well. I was really impressed when I got to kind of take a step back watch in Indy, you can see him processing everything before the snap. All those things you want to see from a quarterback. It was really cool to see that. This offense is a lot to handle. So for him to be able to pick it up the way he has as an undrafted rookie is really impressive.”
It didn’t stop there. Bagent made a more direct impression on Kmet during joint practices with the Indianapolis Colts a couple of weeks ago. The two came together in a one-on-one rep during drills, which was rare. Bagent told the tight end that he would be throwing the ball to a very specific spot. Kmet needed to run his route a certain way to make it work. The tight end did as directed. The ball was right on the money.
Cole Kmet feels the same thing Bears fans do.
Intrigue. Preseason or not, it’s impossible to deny the eye test. Bagent looked like a professional quarterback in all three of his appearances. He was calm and poised, made good decisions, commanded the huddle, and threw accurate passes. His lone bad pass was an interception that wasn’t entirely his fault. He looked nothing like what an undrafted rookie should. One can’t help but wonder if the Bears may have found a hidden gem. This isn’t a game manager with average talent, either.
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Bagent is 6’3, has a strong arm, and can make plays with his legs. Both touchdowns he scored were runs. Cole Kmet didn’t try to hide his interest in the young QB. It’s too early to know where things will go from here, but his comments paint a clear picture. Bagent belongs in the NFL. The Bears haven’t offered an idea of their plans for him. He seemed like the obvious choice for the #2 quarterback spot, but the re-signing of Nathan Peterman makes that uncertain.
It likely won’t matter. Bagent already proved he’s superior to him. Time is on his side.
