Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet missed the first regular-season game of his NFL career last week against the Baltimore Ravens. It marked the end of a spectacular 90-game streak, which saw rookie Colston Loveland fill in for the veteran.
Ahead of Week 9’s slate of action, many are wondering whether Kmet will miss a second straight game.
Let’s analyze his injury situation.
How Serious Is Cole Kmet’s Back Injury Heading Into Week 9?
The latest on Kmet is that he missed last Sunday’s game against the Ravens due to a back injury. Head coach Ben Johnson deemed the tight end “week-to-week,” but he’s not expected to head to the IR.
These updates came after Kmet missed last week’s Wednesday and Thursday practices, with Loveland in line to pick up the slack.
Ahead of the Bears’ Week 9 game, it was revealed that Kmet was limited in practice. It means that he has a chance of playing this week for Chicago.
The veteran tight end’s back injury occurred during the Bears’ 26-14 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 7. He left the game in the third quarter, having put up 16 receiving yards, and Loveland proceeded to play 91% of their offensive snaps; however, he didn’t log big numbers due to Chicago’s big day on the ground. D’Andre Swift bagged 124 yards on 19 carries for one touchdown, and Kyle Monangai recorded 81 yards on 13 carries with one score.
Kmet’s injury calls for a look into the Bears’ depth at tight end, where Loveland is the clear No. 2 behind the injured veteran. The 30-year-old former Miami Dolphins tight end Durham Smythe is also on the active roster.
However, the rest of their depth at the position is sitting on the practice squad. Seventh-year Princeton alum Stephen Carlson and former CFL 2nd-round draft pick Nikola Kalinic comprise the rest of the players Ben Johnson currently has in Kmet’s absence.
Chicago has a few middle-of-the-pack games ahead as Kmet nurses his back, before its schedule ramps up toward the end of the season.
Their upcoming stretch includes the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9, the New York Giants in Week 10, the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11, and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12. After that, they have a challenging stretch, which includes the Green Bay Packers twice, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the San Francisco 49ers.
The Bears will need all the help they can get to keep up in one of the top three toughest divisions this season, the NFC North. At 4-3, they’re scrambling to stay ahead of the 3-4 Vikings, who are trying to make things work while dealing with many injuries at quarterback.
