Last season was a frustrating one for the entire Chicago Bears offense. Few more so than Cole Kmet. He had a solid year with 612 yards, but he and others can’t help but feel he still underachieved. Part of the problem was a lack of chemistry with Justin Fields. Much of that was due to the still-baffling decision by head coach Matt Nagy not to give the young quarterback more work with the first-team offense in training camp.
It took weeks before the tight end and quarterback finally got on the same page. Everything clicked on Monday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where they connected six times for 87 yards. It was Fields’ best performance of the season. While the Bears sadly lost on a late collapse by the defense, the progress was encouraging. Kmet went to Fields after the game, insisting it was a performance they could build on.
The Cole Kmet and Justin Fields connection is still growing.
They worked out together often during the offseason, but it goes beyond that. There was strong evidence of it on Thursday. Several Bears players visited Wrigley Field, where they participated in batting practice. A competition quickly developed to see who could hit the most home runs. Fields, who played excellent baseball in high school, smacked two. However, Kmet played baseball at Notre Dame. He ended up with three, winning the battle. The two had a fun little communication on Instagram after the visit.
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It might seem like such a small thing. Yet it’s such small moments that help cement chemistry between two individuals. Justin Fields and Cole Kmet are getting to know each other. The more each of them understands how the other thinks, the more potent their combination has a chance to become on Sundays. Bears fans got a glimpse of what it could be in Pittsburgh before the quarterback got injured the following week. There is no telling what they can accomplish in a new offense that is geared to help maximize both of them.