TEs Jimmy Graham, Cole Kmet prove to be productive combo for Bears

The Bears haven’t fixed their tight end issue for the long term, but the combination of Cole Kmet and Jimmy Graham has been a substantial upgrade from where they were last season.

The Bears signed Graham hoping to squeeze at least one more decent season out of him and have gotten exactly that, with 44 catches for 382 yards and six touchdowns. That might not sound like much, but it makes him something the Bears didn’t have last season: a league-average tight end.

They used their first draft pick on Kmet, making him the top selection at his position (No. 43 overall) and hoping he would develop quickly enough to contribute late in the season. They’ve gotten exactly that, too, and Kmet has given them something they didn’t have at the position last season: promise.

Coach Matt Nagy has paired the two more often in the last three games, and together they’ve delivered 17 catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Again, far from overwhelming, but remember that J.P. Holtz led Bears tight ends with 91 yards receiving last season.

‘‘The way me and [Kmet] play together, it’s been extremely fun these last few weeks,’’ Graham said Thursday. ‘‘Get the first down and then some. That’s our mentality when we catch the ball underneath.

‘‘Nagy really emphasized the ability to throw the ball under coverage and to make those plays, to put your trust in your players to get that first down instead of just having to throw for it. We took that personal. We’re looking to get up the field, looking to make a play to help us sustain drives.’’

The Bears got little of that from their tight ends last season, when six players combined for 46 catches for 421 yards and two touchdowns.

To correct that, the Bears cut Trey Burton and traded Adam Shaheen. Then they signed Graham to a two-year, $16 million deal and drafted Kmet.

Graham is still a declining player at 34, and his speed isn’t what it was. But his red-zone prowess has been crucial for the Bears. He is 11th in the NFL in red-zone receptions (10) and eighth in red-zone touchdown catches (six).

That said, his age might make him a one-year rental. The Bears can cut him this offseason for a $3 million dead-cap hit.

If they went that route, they would need to bring in another pass-catching tight end or rely on Kmet to be that kind of threat.

Kmet has shown some potential in that area after a slow start. He has 11 catches for 90 yards and a touchdown in the last three games after catching only eight passes for 94 yards and a touchdown in the first 11. He might never reach the heights Graham did as a five-time Pro Bowl player with the Saints and Seahawks, but he’s more talented than just a blocking specialist.

‘‘Now that Cole has more experience, he knows what he is doing,’’ Nagy said. ‘‘Now it’s like we’re in cruise control, where we can just go and play ball, and Jimmy has been the ultimate pro in all of this.’’

Like a lot of things with the Bears, the tight end problem isn’t totally solved, but it’s good enough for now.