The Chicago Bears, with their words, have said they don't want to trade Cole Kmet.
Their actions still have the football world thinking otherwise.
Chicago used the No. 10 overall pick in April's draft on another tight end, Colston Loveland out of Michigan.
It's only natural to wonder if that means Kmet's job is in jeopardy.
If it is, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox has a solution in a new prediction. He thinks the Bears could trade Kmet to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In return, the Jags would send a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to Chicago.
"The Jaguars would be wise to inquire about Kmet," Knox writes. "They have a budding tight end in Brenton Strange, but they also lost Evan Engram in free agency. The Jags should be looking to put as much talent around Trevor Lawrence as they can this season, and they do have some coaching ties to Chicago. Former Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron now serves as Jacksonville's passing game coordinator."
It definitely makes sense from Jacksonville's perspective. Lawrence is entering what should be his prime years. The Jags have to surround him with as many positive offensive weapons as possible.
The Bears clearly like Kmet, so it wouldn't be easy to part with him. But if they can trade from a position of surplus for a multi-pick package, that has the chance to pay dividends down the road.
Caleb Williams still has a long future ahead. Ben Johnson is in his first year as Chicago's head coach. Kmet doesn't necessarily feature in the longer-term timeline with the Bears, anyway.
Maybe it is the time to trade him while his value is still solid.
