New Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland is entering the NFL with lofty expectations on his shoulders. Selected with the No. 10 overall pick, Loveland is expected to become a focal point of the Bears offense sooner rather than later.
The NFL watched as rookie tight end Brock Bowers became a star with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024. Now, Loveland is expected to become the next young star at the position. Playing for the Bears specifically, the franchise has a solid lineage of strong tight end play.
Among the noteworthy tight ends to play for the Bears is Greg Olsen. He spent four years with the team, gaining nearly 2,000 yards and scoring 20 touchdowns. Now, he’s prepared to watch Loveland become the next great Chicago tight end. Great might be an understatement, as Olsen thinks Loveland has what it takes to join the NFL’s elites, via 89 with Steve Smith Sr. and Jordan Palmer.
“I think Loveland is the modern-day tight end,” Olsen said. “There’s guys that you have to scheme open and then there’s guys that get themselves open. There’s not a lot of those guys—those are the Kelces and the Kittles and the real special guys,” Olsen said. “So, I think Loveland is that guy.”
Chicago Bears, Ben Johnson get versatile weapon in Colston Loveland
With Ben Johnson taking over at head coach, the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator is looking for playmakers all over his roster. That’s what led to the selection of Loveland, his playmaking ability and supreme levels of athleticism. While Olsen says Loveland doesn’t need plays to be schemed for him to get open, Johnson will surely be looking to manufacture ways to get the ball in the tight end’s hands.
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 new career-highs in receptions (56) and touchdowns (five) in 2024. Loveland ended his time with the Wolverines as a Second-team All-American nominee.
With the Bears already having Cole Kmet on the roster, the selection of Loveland was a bit of shock. However, their skill sets are a complimentary match. Kmet will operate as the in line blocker, and as a trusted safety blanket for Caleb Williams in the short game and red zone. Loveland will be more of an intermediate option, looking to use his speed to get past linebackers in the middle of the field. Ultimately the roles could be interchanged in theory. But Chicago brought Loveland in to make big plays in the pass game.
Olsen’s rookie season with the Bears was a bit underwhelming, making 39 grabs for 391 yards and two touchdowns. It wasn’t until two seasons later that he broke 600 yards and caught eight touchdowns. Olsen had a strong career with the Bears, but Chicago is hoping Loveland’s provides even more fireworks.
If Loveland lives up to Olsen’s expectations, then no one will question Chicago’s decision with the No. 10 overall pick. But as soon as he recovers from his shoulder injury, the tight end must make a quick acclimation from the NFL and prove to be a strong fit in Johnson’s new-look offense.
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