Cole Kmet

Colston Loveland has established himself as the clear passing-game centerpiece of the CHI tight end room, leading the position in snaps and routes run even in weeks he is not targeted heavily, which structurally caps Kmet's target share.

Ben Johnson's scheme deploys Kmet primarily as an inline run-blocker in heavy personnel sets, which sustains his snap floor but limits his route participation and weekly receiving ceiling relative to true pass-catching tight ends.

Kmet opened the 2026 season more efficiently than Loveland on a per-target basis, scoring on a red-zone-caliber target in Week 1, showing he retains scoring equity even on limited volume.

Kmet's veteran experience and stable TE2 role mean he would be first in line to absorb lead-role targets and snaps if Loveland were to miss time.