When you’re a tight end selected within the first 10 picks of the NFL Draft, you’re expected to make an immediate impact. That’s at least one of the reasons the Chicago Bears drafted Colston Loveland, for his versatile skill set.
But Bears fans have been unable to see Loveland in action as he works his way back from offseason shoulder surgery. He’ll need to learn quick in training camp with head coach Ben Johnson running a dynamic scheme. And if those roadblocks weren’t enough, Loveland will be battling for targets with veteran tight end Cole Kmet.
Still, the Bears made their Loveland draft decision with Kmet in mind. Furthermore, the rookie has already begun to craft a relationship with his new teammate. While Johnson will need to figure out how to make it work weekly, Loveland is confident he and Kmet will be a winning combination, via Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald.
Chicago Bears tight end duo
Johnson was known to run plenty of 12 personnel with the Detroit Lions. It seems likely that Loveland and Kmet will be sharing the field quite often. However, each offer much different skill sets that will allow the head coach to get creative on offense.
Kmet is a better in-line blocker and will be used in the short to intermediate game. That’s not to say he won’t be a playmaker, as he made 258 catches for 2,592 yards and 19 touchdowns over his Bears career. Furthermore, with Keenan Allen and his team-leading seven touchdowns leaving the franchise, it wouldn’t be a shock to see those opportunities go to Kmet. But overall, he’ll operate as a key safety blanket for quarterback Caleb Williams, helping move the chains and make noise in the red zone.
Loveland’s goal will be using his athleticism to create mismatches against linebackers. Based on his draft selection, Johnson has already been scheming up ways to get the tight end open in space. Over his three years at Michigan, Loveland caught 117 passes for 1,466 yards and 11 touchdowns. He won a national championship in 2023 before being named Second-team All-American in 2024 by setting new career-highs in receptions (56) and touchdowns (11).
The tight end was selected specifically for his pass catching ability, meaning Loveland will be used as an explosive weapon. But opposing teams can’t forget about Kmet, whose trusty hands will keep defenses honest and make the offense overall a bit more complex.
Colston Loveland growing with Caleb Williams
While his play next to Kmet will be the talk of training camp, neither could succeed without a strong rapport with Williams. They haven’t been able to do much on the field yet, but Loveland is already loving, no pun intended, what he sees from his new quarterback.
“Yeah, great dude. Got a good energy about him,” Loveland said. “I could tell he works very hard and he takes it serious. He’s super cool, that’s my guy, looking forward to just continuing to build it, especially on the field.”
Johnson was linked to nearly every team with a coaching vacancy during the offseason. And yet, he chose the Bears. One of the main reasons was due to Williams being established as quarterback. But now able to build out the offense under his vision, Johnson had a lightbulb moment when Loveland was available at No. 10.
The tight end end must first return in training camp and prove he has a strong understanding of the offense. But if Loveland and Williams are an immediate hit, Chicago will have a dangerous offense in 2025 and beyond.
Colston Loveland’s value to the Bears will be vastly different than Tyler Warren’s value to the Colts
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