The Chicago Bears raised eyebrows across the NFL when they selected Colston Loveland with the No. 10 overall pick. But once fans and analysts took a moment to think about the pick, it became clear why the Bears targeted Loveland.
With Ben Johnson taking over as Chicago’s new head coach, he is undoubtedly looking to raise the offensive bar. During his time with the Detroit Lions, Johnson helped fellow tight end Sam LaPorta become one of the lite options in the entire NFL. While it’d be unfair to make a direct one-for-one comparison, it’s clear Loveland is poised for a major role in Johnson’s offense.
Still, Chicago has plenty of mouths to feed. There’s veteran tight end Cole Kmet, alongside a trio of playmaking receivers in DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden. However, those are the NFL aren’t concerned with where Loveland fits into the mix. Especially after using the No. 10 pick on him, one NFL executive believes te tight end will be one of the primary options in Johnson’s debut Bears offense, via Mike Sando of The Athletic.
“Loveland is going to catch a million balls,” an exec said. “He will be better than (Sam) LaPorta. He is such a good receiver, and he’s bigger — two inches taller and another 10 pounds. They will have an 11 personnel package with Burden in the slot and the 12 package when Burden is off the field with Loveland and Kmet on the field. They are set up pretty well.”
Colston Loveland ready for Chicago Bears debut
Loveland would need to put together essentially a historic season if he is truly going to outpace LaPorta as a rookie. The Lions tight end grabbed 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie. Still, Loveland is a clear favorite of Johnson’s. The Bears wouldn’t have used the No. 10 overall pick on him if the franchise didn’t expect him to make an immediate difference.
Over his three years at Michigan, Loveland caught 117 passes for 1,466 yards and 11 touchdowns. He won a national championship with the Wolverines in 2023, setting a new career-high in yardage (649). Loveland ended his time at Michigan as a Second-team All-American by setting new career-bests in receptions (56) and touchdowns (five).
Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, there was a large debate between Warren and Loveland for who would be the first tight end off the board. Warren was consistently mocked to the Bears as he seemed like the consensus top option. However, Chicago preferred Loveland’s athleticism and pass catching ability. With a blocking and short yardage tight end already on the roster in Kmet, Loveland will be free to make plays in the middle of the field.
For as exciting as the Bears’ offense looks on paper, Johnson must still figure out how to make things click perfectly. Ensuring quarterback Caleb Williams levels up will be top priority. But now Loveland is here as another elite playmaker for the quarterback to work with. Both of their NFL careers will now be forever intertwined. How they develop as a duo will be crucial for the totality of Chicago’s offense.
Once training camp begins, the Bears will have a better sense of what their offense actually looks like. But for now, everyone remains salivating over the idea of Loveland playing for Johnson.
© David Banks-Imagn Images
Chicago Bears undrafted free agent earns insider vote of confidence
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