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Can Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet take a step forward in Luke Getsy’s offense? ‘It’s go time.’

When Cole Kmet was asked this week to assess his play in 2021, the Chicago Bears tight end noted what he believed was an obstacle in his first two NFL seasons — multiple quarterback changes.That included a 2020 season in which the Bears waffled between Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles and a 2021 season in which Andy Dalton was the starter through training camp and the first two games before he was injured. The Bears turned to Justin Fields, who later missed five games with injuries and COVID-19.AdvertisementFormer Bears coach Matt Nagy and offensive coordinator Bill Lazor both called plays in that span.“I’ve had a lot of not just quarterbacks but quarterback changes, so it’s tough,” Kmet said. “I mean, it’s tough on a player trying to get a feel for guys and different scheme changes depending on who the quarterback is. So for me it’s just always doing what I’m asked, and at the end of the day that’s all you can control.”AdvertisementAs Kmet enters Year 3, the second-round draft pick finally should have quarterback continuity with Fields. He seized on an opportunity earlier this offseason to work out with Fields and wide receiver Darnell Mooney in Atlanta, which he said was as much about building their relationship as their chemistry on the field.Bears tight end Cole Kmet practices during organized team activities Tuesday at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)There are, of course, more changes under new coach Matt Eberflus, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and a very different tight ends room. But Kmet seemed enthusiastic about what the new offense can do for him and Fields.Kmet said he can get a feel for how tight ends will be used in Getsy’s offense by looking at similar offenses around the league, with Robert Tonyan in Green Bay and George Kittle in San Francisco.“You see how the tight end is involved in the run scheme, and off of that, the play-action movements,” he said. “And all of those type of things can be really advantageous for tight ends.”[ [Don’t miss] Column: If Chicago Bears pass rusher Robert Quinn wants out of town, a trade could be a win for all parties ]Pressed for reasons for optimism about the offense at this early juncture, he added: “It is a ‘we’ll see.’ I don’t want to get too much in detail with it, but Justin’s on the move a lot, and I think he does well with that. That’s been exciting to see, and you see the types of throws he can make with his legs and on the run and off schedule. No pads right now, but you see that type of stuff and it gets exciting.”Kmet has room for growth after a 2021 season in which he totaled 60 catches on 93 targets for 612 yards. That was a big bump from his rookie season totals of 28 catches for 243 yards as he saw a significant increase in playing time.But Kmet knows he could make a bigger impact this year, particularly in the red zone. Kmet didn’t have any touchdown catches in 2021. He had five catches on 12 targets inside the 20-yard line and no catches on four targets inside the 10, according to Pro Football Reference.On Tuesday, Kmet recalled two end-zone opportunities in 2021 he wished he had back — one on a timing issue between him and Fields against the San Francisco 49ers and another missed connection against the Green Bay Packers.Advertisement“I look back at each part of my game and that was an area that was lacking for me,” he said.[ [Don’t miss] More Pilates, less beer: How Teven Jenkins is working to earn the trust of his new Chicago Bears coaches ]As he looks to better himself this offseason, Kmet said he is focused on hands catches and “really craving violence through my blocks, especially on double teams.”He also will attend “Tight End University,” the three-day event in Nashville, Tenn., organized by Kittle, Travis Kelce and Greg Olsen. Kmet, who went to the inaugural event last year, said it’s chance to have fun with other tight ends — “I’m not going to lie, that’s most of the trip” — but also pick their brains on how they work on and off the field.As for his work at Halas Hall during organized team activities, Kmet said he has tried to show the new staff he is capable of being involved in multiple aspects of the offense.Getsy said earlier this month that he was impressed with Kmet, both because of the mindset he brings to his work and his flexibility as a player.“I’m excited to see him have a bunch of different roles in our offense,” Getsy said. “Some players that are out there, they’re kind of like, ‘This is what they do well.’ But I think the more guys that you can get in a system that can do a bunch of different things, the more success you’re going to have, and I think Cole is one of those guys.”AdvertisementBears quarterback Justin Fields (1) celebrates his touchdown run with tight end Cole Kmet (85) and other teammates against the Rams on Sept. 12, 2021, at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)As Kmet navigates working under the new coaches, he tries to keep in mind what his uncle, Jeff Zgonina, once said about what it took to last 17 seasons in the NFL.Zgonina, who was a defensive lineman for seven teams, said, “You feel like you’re getting cut every day.” It doesn’t mean operating with fear, Kmet said, but an urgency to put in the work.“Regardless of whether it was the old regime, new regime, this is the NFL — jobs are on the line every day — so you’ve got to come to work with that,” Kmet said. “Like, it’s go time. There’s no reason not to study the night before. You’ve got to know your stuff before you come in. There’s no excuse for not knowing what to do on a play whether they installed it correctly or not. You’ve got all the sheets. You’ve got everything. You’ve got to be a pro and know what you’re doing.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11 Meet the Chicago Bears’ 2022 NFL draft class. (Jae C. Hong/AP)ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 15New Bears coach Matt Eberflus speaks after being introduced on Jan. 31, 2022, at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

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Chicago Bears Q&A: Where is the roster most deficient? What is the ceiling and floor for Matt Eberflus’ defense?

The Chicago Bears are in Week 2 of organized team activities, and as with any team in the early stages of a rebuild, questions abound at many positions. Brad Biggs’ weekly Bears mailbag covers the running backs, secondary and offensive line — and starts by asking where the biggest holes are.Now that the draft and the first few rounds of free agency are over, where do you think the roster is most deficient? Are there any players currently available that would address those needs or will they need to wait until preseason cuts to fill those holes? — @theengineer_danAdvertisementThe Bears certainly hope they have players on the roster who can emerge as options beyond 2022 by proving themselves this season. The offensive line has legitimate questions. Is Larry Borom a starting-caliber player, especially at left tackle? Can Teven Jenkins be a good fit for this offense with his first look coming at right tackle? Who will play right guard? As for the rest of the offense, are the wide receivers good enough to be productive? Are the positive early signs from Justin Fields that the coaching staff has outlined proof he will take a significant step forward in his second season? Without significant investments on the defensive line, with the exception of pass rusher Robert Quinn, can the Bears be solid not only stopping the run, but also rushing the passer? Is there a high-caliber nickel cornerback on the roster? Can free safety Eddie Jackson bounce back from a couple of seasons that weren’t to the level of his contract? The Bears have players in place for all of these positions, and some will step up and provide good answers. How many remains to be seen. Some will fall short and there will be clear needs entering next offseason, when general manager Ryan Poles will have cap space, cash and more draft picks.AdvertisementI wouldn’t expect a windfall of solutions via preseason cuts. Generally, players whom other teams let go can serve as bridge players and depth. It’s less common that a player who is cut loose can be a real building block for the future. Try to be patient with the process. The roster will evolve over the next 15 to 16 months before the 2023 season starts.What positions are most deficient? I’d say the offensive line, wide receiver and maybe the defensive line. But we’ve yet to see the Bears in full pads or in the preseason, and real answers will come during the regular season.[ [Don’t miss] The Bears are back at Halas Hall for OTAs. Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of their roster. ]Do the Bears get a deal done with David Montgomery after this year or do you think they ultimately let him walk? I’m factoring in the emergence of Khalil Herbert. It was a small sample size but given the position, well, you know. — @runbackdaveIt’s difficult to project what Montgomery’s market will look like after this season without knowing how he will perform in the new offense. As a general rule, running backs are largely replaceable. It’s probably the easiest position on the roster to plug in help other than specialists. Look at the variety of backs the San Francisco 49ers have used with great success, and that’s a similar offensive system.Montgomery has been solid for the Bears, but for him to prove real value in this offense, he has to be more dynamic and productive as a pass catcher. Running backs who get paid now, with the exception of someone like Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans, are multidimensional threats. To me, this has less to do with how Herbert performs this season and more with what Montgomery does.Bears running back David Montgomery practices Tuesday, May 24, 2022, during OTAs at Halas Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Ryan Poles may have successfully remade the secondary on the cheap. The linebacker and defensive line core seems solid too with some promising players. What do you think the defensive ceiling/floor could be for this roster? — @jmcdavittI assume you are talking about the defense in 2022. I agree the Bears made some strong moves in the secondary by drafting cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker in the second round. They will make some rookie mistakes — that’s natural for any first-year players — but the Bears have gotten out of the pattern of seeking veteran bridge players on the back end, at least at those two spots.The defensive line has legitimate questions. It lacks a signature interior player — someone like Tommie Harris, who was in the same scheme the last time the Bears ran the Tampa-2, or DeForest Buckner, who played for Matt Eberflus with the Indianapolis Colts. This defense requires some special players up front to play at a high level because you’re sacrificing size for athleticism, and that makes it challenging to defend the run.AdvertisementAre the Bears going to keep Robert Quinn for the season? If they do, will they get the record-setting 2021 version or the 2020 version? Free safety Eddie Jackson is coming off a couple of subpar seasons. There are fair questions about who will man the nickel position, which should be viewed as a starter. The ceiling for this group in 2022 is probably middle of the pack, and that might be attainable because the Bears don’t face the toughest schedule in terms of quarterbacks. The floor is a little below that.[ [Don’t miss] 3 Bears storylines to watch, including Justin Fields versus Mac Jones — and Lucas Patrick’s nasty edge ]Why is Jaylon Johnson taking second-team reps? — @wustinwields1The coaches wanted to look at a handful of other players who have been involved in the entire offseason program. Matt Eberflus said not to read too much into who is playing with which unit in May, and that’s good advice in this case. Eberflus said a week ago he hadn’t seen enough of Johnson on the field to say a whole lot about him. When asked about Johnson on Tuesday, he was pretty upbeat.“Now I’ve seen him for a week and I like what I see,” Eberflus said. “He’s moving around really good. His change of direction is nice. He’s got really good hands. As you know, he’s got good size. So now just really looking at his coverage ability and it’s in a good spot. We’re just working with him and trying to assess his skills and we’ll coach him as we go.”Barring something unexpected, Johnson will be a starter with second-round pick Kyler Gordon. I wouldn’t be surprised if Johnson is running with the ones at mandatory minicamp in mid-June, if not sooner. It doesn’t hurt for the coaches to send a message that those who consistently show up for voluntary work will get the first chance to be evaluated. That’s probably a motivator on some level.Is there any hope Kindle Vildor can sustain CB1? I know it’s OTAs. — @just_acyAdvertisementThat seems unlikely with Jaylon Johnson entering his third season and second-round pick Kyler Gordon getting consistent work with the starters already. A realistic best-case scenario for Vildor, who struggled at points last season, is to have a competitive training camp and preseason and put himself in position to be a top backup on the outside.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11 Meet the Chicago Bears’ 2022 NFL draft class. (Jae C. Hong/AP)Likelihood one of the rookie offensive linemen starts Week 1? — @dwcprodzThat seems like a long shot. It looks like the Bears are rolling with Larry Borom at left tackle and Teven Jenkins at right tackle — or at least it’s headed in that direction for the start of training camp. I highly doubt the Bears have a rookie offensive tackle who will prove he’s ready to start in Week 1. The best chance — and again, I don’t think it’s a high probability — is one of the rookies getting in the mix for the right guard job, where Sam Mustipher and Dakota Dozier have spent most of the time with the ones.There’s still a chance a newcomer will arrive with a shot at the right guard job, and remember, sometimes those things play out late. The Bears sort of fell into adding guard Josh Sitton to the starting lineup back in 2016 after the Green Bay Packers released him on Labor Day weekend. When GM Ryan Poles used four Day 3 picks on offensive linemen, it was with the idea that one or two of them could push for a spot in 2023. You can’t rule it out, but speculating now is incredibly difficult because they haven’t put pads on.Any chatter about how Charles Snowden is doing? He would seem to be the fast, lengthy, smart, try-hard kind of defensive end that Matt Eberflus’ system calls for. Pre-draft some even saw him as a Day 2 pick. Obviously his broken ankle turned teams off. He definitely has the measurables. — John R., VietnamI have not heard coaches single out Snowden, but with veterans Robert Quinn and Al-Quadin Muhammad not participating in the voluntary portion of the offseason program to this point — at least from what media have been allowed to view — that has given a handful of other players more reps, more exposure and in some cases more time with the first team. Training camp and preseason will be big for players such as Snowden, who is a holdover from the previous regime. The spring is critical for Snowden to show he can pick up the techniques the coaching staff is highlighting and can understand the defense. When it comes to turning the corner and really getting after the quarterback, he’ll have to wait until pads go on in training camp.Advertisement“It’s hard to me to assess a couple things this time of year,” Matt Eberflus said. “Pass rush is hard to assess because it’s a little bit easier for the rushers to get around because there’s no pads on, but once you put the pads on and those tackles can really block ‘em, I think that’s when you really assess what it is. Same thing in the running game. How do you really assess the running game as well?”[ [Don’t miss] Bears 2022 schedule: Here’s who they’ll play — and our predictions for each matchup ]How do you think they are gonna work with Khyiris Tonga? Will they still line him up at nose tackle or try to move him to three technique? — @chicagostatmuseTonga, a seventh-round pick in 2021, was a nice surprise for the Bears as a rookie, appearing in 15 games and logging 216 defensive snaps (23%). He was an ideal fit as a nose tackle in the 3-4 scheme, so there’s a little bit of projection for him in the new front. The Bears listed him at 6-foot-4, 338 pounds last season, and they have yet to adjust the measurements for returning players. When I asked defensive line coach Travis Smith what the target weight is for Tonga this season, he said that’s a decision that involves the strength staff and powers above him. For comparison, the Colts didn’t have a defensive lineman above 314 pounds (veteran tackle Grover Stewart) at the start of last season. Tonga definitely is not a three technique, but he has a chance to play the nose in this defense, even though it’s different from manning that spot in a 3-4.“Our big thing in our front is to make sure that we’re effort first,” Smith said. “We can correct everything else. And so as long as our guys — whatever their weight is — (are) able to run and play consistently at a high level, I’m good with it.“He’s moving good. For a big man, he’s got really great feet. Recall the (term) dancing bear. We have some big men that can move, stay on their feet. We want our big men to play sideline to sideline. We’re a penetrating, vertical, edge-setting defense, but we run. All four of us. We want all four guys running. As long as they can do that, their weight is good to me.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 30Virginia McCaskey, the daughter of George Halas, took over as majority owner of the Chicago Bears in 1983. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

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2022 NCAA lacrosse championship weekend: Who’s in, how to watch, what’s at stake and more

Memorial Day Weekend is almost here, which means it’s time to crown the NCAA Division I men’s and women’s lacrosse champions. After more than two weeks of games, only four teams remain in the respective brackets.Here’s what you need to know:AdvertisementMENNo. 1 seed Maryland 18, Virginia 9AdvertisementNo. 5 seed Princeton 14, No. 4 seed Yale 10No. 6 seed Rutgers 11, No. 3 seed Penn 9No. 7 seed Cornell 10, Delaware 8WOMENNo. 1 seed North Carolina 8, No. 8 seed Stony Brook 5No. 2 seed Maryland 18, No. 7 seed Florida 5No. 3 seed Boston College 20, No. 6 seed Loyola Maryland 13No. 4 seed Northwestern 15, No. 5 seed Syracuse 4AdvertisementMEN(at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut)No. 6 seed Rutgers vs. No. 7 seed Cornell, Saturday, noon, ESPN2No. 1 seed Maryland vs. No. 5 seed Princeton, Saturday, 2:30 p.m., ESPN2WOMEN(at Johns Hopkins’ Homewood Field in Baltimore)AdvertisementNo. 1 seed North Carolina vs. No. 4 seed Northwestern, Friday, 3 p.m., ESPNUNo. 2 seed Maryland vs. No. 3 seed Boston College, Friday, 5 p.m., ESPNUMENRentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn., Monday, 1 p.m., ESPNWOMENJohns Hopkins’ Homewood Field in Baltimore, Sunday, noon, ESPNAdvertisementChris Cotter, Ryan Boyle and Katie George will handle the call of Saturday’s first semifinal between Cornell and Rutgers on ESPN2. Anish Shroff, Quint Kessenich and Paul Carcaterra will provide the play-by-play and commentary for the second semifinal between Maryland and Princeton on ESPN2 and will return to call Monday’s national championship on ESPN.For the women, play-by-play commentator Jay Alter and analysts Sheehan Stanwick-Burch and Dana Boyle will be on the call for the semifinals and championship game from Homewood Field in Baltimore. The semifinals will be broadcast on ESPNU, and the national championship will be broadcast on ESPN for the first time.MENNo. 1 seed Maryland: Seeking fourth NCAA Tournament title (first since 2017)No. 5 seed Princeton: Seeking seventh NCAA Tournament title (first since 2001)No. 6 seed Rutgers: Seeking first NCAA Tournament titleAdvertisementNo. 7 seed Cornell: Seeking fourth NCAA Tournament title (first since 1977)WOMENNo. 1 seed North Carolina: Seeking third NCAA Tournament title (first since 2016)No. 2 seed Maryland: Seeking 15th NCAA Tournament title (first since 2019)No. 3 seed Boston College: Seeking second straight NCAA Tournament titleNo. 4 seed Northwestern: Seeking eighth NCAA Tournament title (first since 2012)AdvertisementMENNo. 1 seed Maryland: Fifth-year senior attackman Logan Wisnauskas (55 goals, 40 assists)No. 5 seed Princeton: Senior attackman Chris Brown (30 goals, 41 assists)Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.No. 6 seed Rutgers: Junior attackman Ross Scott (49 goals, 23 assists)No. 7 seed Cornell: Fifth-year senior attackman John Piatelli (60 goals, 15 assists)WOMENAdvertisementNo. 1 seed North Carolina: Fifth-year attacker Jamie Ortega (64 goals, 41 assists)No. 2 seed Maryland: Graduate student attacker Aurora Cordingley (66 goals, 50 assists)No. 3 seed Boston College: Graduate student attacker Charlotte North (82 goals, 23 assists)No. 4 seed Northwestern: Graduate student attacker Lauren Gilbert (74 goals, 26 assists)