The Chicago Bears have signed free-agent tight end Durham Smythe to a one-year deal. Smythe was released earlier this offseason by the Miami Dolphins, and the Bears pounced on the opportunity to reunite Smythe with new head coach Ben Johnson. Smythe had spent his entire seven-year career in Miami, with Ben Johnson as the wide receivers coach for his rookie season. Smythe is primarily a blocking tight end and will be more useful in the film room and on the practice field as a familiar face for Johnson and a veteran of his offensive scheme.
Smythe replaces Gerald Everett, who the Chicago Bears cut earlier this offseason, and Marcedes Lewis, who is a current free agent, as the backup tight end to Cole Kmet. Kmet is coming off of a disappointing 2024. Pairing him with his fellow Notre Dame product Smythe on the field on game days and in practice and the film room will be critical to acclimating Kmet to the expectations and customs of a tight end playing in a Ben Johnson offense.
Durham Smythe Heads to Chicago Bears on One-Year Deal
The Chicago Bears have brought in Durham Smythe on a one-year deal. Smythe, 29, is slated to be the backup tight end to Cole Kmet and replace Gerald Everett and Marcedes Lewis in the tight end room. Smythe is reunited with Ben Johnson, who was on the coaching staff in Miami in 2018 during Smythe’s rookie season. Smythe had spent all of his seven-year career with the Dolphins after being selected in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, establishing himself as a premier blocking tight end and occasional red zone threat. His ability to support his fellow Notre Dame alumni, Cole Kmet, will be the most vital aspect of his presence in Chicago in 2025.
The signing of Smythe is the latest in a string of acquisitions made by the Chicago Bears that shows they are willing to work with new head coach Ben Johnson to get him the players he requests and that Johnson is placing a lot of value on players he has worked with in the past. Earlier this week, the Bears traded for offensive lineman Jonah Jackson, who was with Johnson in Detroit before signing with the Rams last offseason.
Smythe is a valuable blocking tight end who can play off that in two-tight end sets and escape in critical situations to get easy receptions and scores. In his seven-year career, Smythe has played in 112 games, catching 132 passes for 1,228 yards and three touchdowns. He is durable and comes with a stellar reputation as a locker room additive. The hope is that Symthe will be able to help Ben Johnson and Kmet acclimate to each other in 2025, a season that has the potential to be Kmet’s most productive yet after a lackluster 2024 that was his worst since his rookie year.
Final Thoughts
I like the move by Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears’ front office to bring in another familiar face. Smythe may not be the most productive player on Sundays, but the lion’s share of his value will be seen with how Cole Kmet plays in 2025. Smythe is familiar with the offensive scheme that Johnson’s offense uses, and any helpful pointers or observations that the veteran tight end can make to boost Kmet’s production will make this one-year deal worth it.
Smythe doesn’t have large shoes to fill as the backup tight end, either. Gerald Everett was more expensive and never really got any traction in 2024, despite getting outsized playing time under then-offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. I doubt that Ben Johnson will take the same approach as Waldron and stick with his guy at the position over the incumbent starter Kmet. Kmet is due for a breakout season, and I believe not only is Ben Johnson the coach to get him there, but now Durham Smythe is the supportive teammate to help him do that too.
