When the Chicago Bears drafted Sam Roush, it was a major shock to fans. What was the team doing taking a tight end in the 3rd round when they already had two excellent options on the roster with Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet? It didn’t make any logistical sense, considering other obvious needs they had. The explanation that soon came out was that Roush was one of the best blockers in the entire draft. He’d be an immediate help both in protecting Caleb Williams and opening up the run game.
Fair enough. However, things have taken on a new light in the past couple of weeks. Rumblings from Halas Hall suggest Roush is much more than just a blocker. He has athleticism for such a big guy, showing burst in his route-running, and he couples it with a decent pair of hands. Some are wondering if the Bears got a more well-rounded player than people realized. Adam Hoge and Adam Jahns summed it up on their recent Hoge & Jahns podcast episode. From what they’re seeing, they may have found another Kmet.
Why Sam Roush being another Kmet is a great thing.
Think about how valuable Cole was last season for the Bears. Not only was he a dependable blocker in the run game, but he was also their most underrated threat in the passing game. Every time the Bears seemed to hit a big play in a big moment, it was Kmet doing the damage. It happened in Philadelphia and against Los Angeles. Defenses never found a way to counter the threat of Loveland and Kmet. Now, try to imagine what would happen if you added another player like that to the chessboard. Who’s stopping it?
This is what Ben Johnson was thinking when Roush was drafted. Most teams don’t have two tight ends of this caliber in the NFL. Now the Bears potentially have three. Defenses aren’t ready for something like that. No offense in history has leaned into a three-tight-end attack before, aside from running the ball in short-yardage situations. This could present all sorts of matchup advantages since all three are big targets with enough speed to consistently beat linebackers or safeties in coverage.
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Why it is also a bad thing.
There is a fundamental truth about the NFL and sports in general. If you have two of the same thing, the odds are that you’ll eventually unload one of them. If Sam Roush is another Kmet, then you have to figure that at some point, the Bears will decide that having two of the same thing is redundant. That could lead to the decision to trade Kmet elsewhere, both to secure draft capital and clear his contract off the books. It isn’t something fans want. They love Kmet since he’s a local kid and has been part of this rebuild since the beginning. Trading him from his favorite team would be heartbreaking.
The good news is they won’t have to do it immediately. Loveland won’t be due an extension for another two years, presuming he becomes the All-Pro many believe he will. That eases the pressure on the Bears to do anything for the time being. They can keep Kmet on the books through the end of his contract after 2027 if they wish. From there, it gets complicated. He’ll still be 28 years old by that point and looking for a new deal. Would he take one friendly to the team to stay or seek the biggest payday possible?
Sam Roush being on the team would kill any leverage he would’ve had.
