CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 08: Colston Loveland #84 of the Chicago Bears looks on from the sideline during the national anthem prior to an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings at Solider Field on September 8, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois . (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Getty Images
The tight end that most analysts felt the Bears coveted was still on the board but Ryan Poles had a different viewpoint. He passed on Tyler Warren to select Colston Loveland, who immediately came to be viewed as the second coming of Sam LaPorta.
Heading into Week 6 of Loveland’s rookie season, the rookie’s value remains completely unproven. He was still recovering from surgery on his right shoulder at the start of training camp had was inactive in Week 4 as a hip injury he picked up in the first half of a Week 3 victory over Dallas proved to be a bigger issue than was first believed.
There’s hope Loveland, who was a starter in Weeks 2 and 3, will be able to play at Washington next Monday night after last week’s bye to rehab his hip. But Bears fans may have to lower their expectations for the guy who set a University of Michigan positional record with 56 catches in 10 games before his shoulder injury last year.
There’s a big difference between the current landscape in Chicago and the path LaPorta inherited when he was selected for Ben Johnson’s Detroit offense in 2023.
Loveland was an immediate revelation for the Lions. He was targeted 120 times and caught 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie, with an eight-catch breakout in Week 3. But that success followed Detroit trading their top tight end, T.J. Hockenson, to Minnesota at midseason in 2022.
When LaPorta arrived for his first training camp, Brock Wright was first on the tight end depth chart. He had caught 30 passes in his first two seasons, including 18 the previous season.
Constrast that to the continued presence of Cole Kmet in Chicago. He’s in his sixth season as a regular and the second season of a four-year, $50 million extension he signed before 2023.
While Loveland has played 80 snaps in his three games, he’s only been targeted six times. He converted three of those into catches, for 33 yards. Kmet has played 244 snaps and been targeted by Caleb Williams 16 times. He’s caught only seven of those balls for 116 yards and one touchdown.
Pro Football Focus currently has Kmet graded 42nd among 73 qualifying tight ends, eight spots ahead of Loveland. Kmet’s strength is his 70.9 pass-blocking mark. Meanwhile Warren — selected by Indianapolis four picks after the Bears took Loveland — grades out as the No. 10 tight end, placed between Dalton Schultz and Trey McBride.
Warren has 23 catches for 307 yards and has gotten the ball on four runs, including one for a touchdown. LaPorta has given the Lions 21 catches for 269 yards.
None of those numbers equal what LaPorta did out of the gate as a rookie. They illustrate the difficult job of integrating tight ends into an offense.
It’s a good bet Johnson, the Bears’ head coach, and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle spent some of their time during the Week 5 bye in reviewing how they’ve used Loveland and Kmet. With 15 days between their 25-24 win over Las Vegas and next Monday’s game at Washington, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they move Loveless — and/or Kmet — around in new ways to keep the Commanders from trying to neutralize wide receivers Rome Odunze and DJ Moore.
Health comes first, of course. Loveland has been available to coaches in a limited way since he arrived at Halas Hall. He’ll be three weeks removed from his hip injury, which originally wasn’t considered serious, so it’s possible he could be on the practice field this week.
He’s been the new toy Johnson hasn’t been able to unwrap from his package. That seems likely to change soon as the 2-2 Bears move toward the second half of what has been a very interesting season.
Disclaimer: This news has been automatically collected from the source link above. Our website does not create, edit, or publish the content. All information, statements, and opinions expressed belong solely to the original publisher. We are not responsible or liable for the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of any news, nor for any statements, views, or claims made in the content. All rights remain with the respective source.