Chicago Bears fans have yet to see No. 10 pick Colston Loveland in action as he makes his way back from offseason shoulder surgery. But with minicamp now in the rearview mirror, Loveland’s return is getting closer.
Clearly the Bears didn’t think Loveland’s shoulder injury would be a long-term issue based on his draft position. However, head coach Ben Johnson is implementing a brand new offseason scheme. While Loveland is surely taking in information, he needs to be on the field to get a true understanding of Johnson’s expectations.
There is still no firm timetable on when Loveland will be cleared. But fans could see the tight end back on the gridiron sooner rather than later, via Adam Jahns of The Athletic.
“Rookie tight end Colston Loveland could be getting closer to returning after shoulder surgery,” Jahns wrote. “He was spotted in uniform, accompanying staff members to other practice fields at Halas Hall while the rest of the team practiced on Fields 1 and 2.”
Johnson echoed the sentiment when asked about Loveland’s return.
“I just knew the springtime here, he wasn’t going to be available,” Johnson said, “and at some point here in camp, we should get the green light.”
Colston Loveland gives Chicago Bears new dynamic
Chicago made Loveland the first tight end off the board in 2025. He was also the first draft pick in Johnson’s Bears tenure. While the tight end will need to prove himself once cleared from injury, Chicago has high hopes for the first-rounder during his rookie season and beyond.
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 setting career-highs in receptions (56) and touchdowns (five) as a senior, adding 582 yards. Loveland was named Second-team All-American in 2024.
Chicago was enamored by the tight end’s ability to make plays in space. They felt he was the best pass catcher amongst the position in the 2025 class. As Johnson builds the foundation of his offense, Loveland gives the head coach a versatile weapon to mold.
Detroit Lions fans watched Johnson turn Sam LaPorta into an elite tight end during his time as offensive coordinator. Bears fans are expecting the same from Loveland. By training camp, Chicago at least wants to have an understanding of how to exactly use the tight end in year one.
Not the only tight end in the Windy City
Loveland’s selection at No. 10 was a bit shocking at the time. Largely due to the fact that Cole Kmet and his $50 million contract are still on the roster. However, Johnson has remained confident throughout the offseason that both Loveland and Kmet will make an impact on the offense.
Kmet is coming off of a down year, catching 47 passes for 474 yards and four touchdowns. However, everyone in Chicago’s offense had a down year in 2024. A season prior, Kmet set new career-highs in receptions (73) and yardage (719). In 2023, he grabbed a career-best eight touchdowns. One season isn’t going to immediately sour the Bears on the tight end.
At this stage of their careers, Kmet is a better blocker than Loveland. He’ll be used more in-line while Loveland operates as the move tight end. But Kmet can still make a difference in the short and intermediate game. Furthermore, with Keenan Allen and his team-leading seven touchdowns leaving the team, it wouldn’t be shocking to see those red zone looks go Kmet’s way.
Johnson will need to find a way to make it all work, but he wouldn’t have selected Loveland if he wasn’t confident in the plan. All that needs to happen now is the tight end getting past his shoulder injury and starting to catch passes from Caleb Williams.
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