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Can Sam Roush Become the Chicago Bears' TE2 This Season?
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- Can Sam Roush Become the Chicago Bears' TE2 This Season?
One of the biggest strengths of the Chicago Bears is tight end right now. You have Colston Loveland at the top, who's the clear TE1.
With Loveland being drafted 10th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft and having 713 yards in his rookie season , there's not much debate for the starting spot. Where the questions come is after that.
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Cole Kmet was selected 43rd overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, and while he hasn't been phenomenal, he's been a solid NFL tight end himself. However, Kmet is no longer the clear TE2 after the 2026 NFL Draft .
The Bears selected Sam Roush in round three, 69th overall, which came as a surprise to many. With the Bears drafting Roush even with Kmet on the roster, it at least raises the question of who the TE2 will be in 2026.
Chicago Bears 2026 TE2?
We'll be breaking this down into two different parts. The first part will be Week 1, and that's a fairly short discussion. It would shock me if Kmet isn't the starter given that he's a six-year NFL veteran who, despite only catching 30 passes for 347 yards, offers value as a blocker.
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Per PFF, Kmet had 456 blocking snaps , which turned into a 62.2 run blocking grade (376 snaps) but a 70.2 pass blocking grade (80). Keep in mind that Loveland didn't even start in Week 1 per Pro Football Reference .
However, as the year goes on, I'd expect Roush to claim that spot. It could come as soon as Week 2, but the latest I'd expect it to happen is during the Bears' bye week.
Kmet has NFL experience, and he's a solid player, but there's a reason that the Bears drafted Roush. One of them is that while Kmet doesn't hit free agency next offseason, he does in 2028 .
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At 27, it's not as if Kmet should necessarily be expected to get better, and his production as a receiver has actually decreased since he had 719 yards in 2023.
The other reason is that Roush can play the same role as Kmet, as he's actually bigger than him. Roush measures in at 6'5", 267 lbs and proved he can be a solid receiver, catching 49 passes for 545 yards in 2025 .
On top of this, Roush is starting to receive a bit more buzz at practice, as Greg Braggs Jr. posted this on X (August 8th):
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"Tyson Bagent to Sam Roush for the wide open touchdown to the left corner of the end zone in Red Zone 11 on 11s.
The rookie Tight End is starting to flash a little more in Week 2 of Camp."
Between the dip in production for Kmet and draft capital spent on Roush, among other factors, I believe he can become the Bears' TE2 before the bye week of this 2026 season.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
