VIDEO: Cole Kmet Breakout Hits New Level With Ridiculous One-Handed Grab

Cole Kmet has begun to establish himself as a legitimate weapon in the passing game for the Chicago Bears. He proved that with five touchdowns in his past three games. People wondered if he could continue that success against the Atlanta Falcons. It didn’t take long to answer that question. Early in the 2nd quarter, Justin Fields fired a missile up the seam in his direction. The pass was a little high, but Kmet somehow went up and got it with one hand while taking a pretty big shot from the Falcons defense. It was easily one of the best catches by any tight end this year.

The play ended up helping get the Bears a field goal to take a 10-7 lead. Average tight ends don’t make plays like that. While nobody is saying Kmet is the next George Kittle or Travis Kelce, it’s becoming apparent that he is developing into a quality starter in this offense. That is great news for the Bears as they look ahead to next off-season. If tight end isn’t a pressing need, it will allow GM Ryan Poles to focus elsewhere, such as the offensive line. One can only imagine what Ryan Pace, now working for the Falcons, was thinking when he saw that play.

Luke Getsy deserves credit for elevating Cole Kmet.

The Bears offensive coordinator has been the tight end’s biggest cheerleader since the season began months ago. He insisted to anybody who would listen that Kmet was a far better player than he got credit for. As the season began, there were signs of him improving as a blocker. However, it wasn’t until last month where he began flashing as a receiver. Fields looked his way more often. What stood out the most were Kmet’s hands. After two years of struggling with drops, he hasn’t had one yet in 2022.

This turnaround is important. Cole Kmet will enter the final season of his rookie deal in 2023. If he can finish this season at his current pace, the Bears may look to lock him up with an extension next spring. It would be a great story for the hometown kid who wanted nothing more than to become a good player in Chicago. The future looks bright for the Bears offense.