Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears made a decision that many deemed surprising when it happened, selecting Colston Loveland 10th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Loveland went on to have a historic rookie season. It was also revealed after the fact that the Bears were not the only ones to covet the dynamic tight end. They were just in the best position among the interested teams.
That decision set the stage for the Bears to stand alone in a recent poll of NFL personnel.
Bears Unique Thanks to Cole Kmet, Colston Loveland
Cole Kmet & Colston Loveland Put Bears in Unique Situation
Loveland finished seventh in a poll of NFL personnel, including executives, coaches, and scouts, from ESPN.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on July 10 that the second-year pro’s “upward” trajectory, noting that he showed “exactly why several teams tried to trade up for the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft,” after overcoming a slow start to the campaign.
An unnamed coordinator called Loveland “unbelievable” and a “smooth mover with toughness.”
Another unnamed NFL personnel member, this one an evaluator, believes Loveland “could be the Bears’ top receiver” in 2026. He was already that in 2025.
The evaluator also expects the Bears to lean into their multi-tight-end looks this coming season after they showed an affinity for it last year. The Bears ranked sixth in the rate of plays using multiple tight ends, per Sharp Football Analysis.
That is where things get interesting for the Bears, who are the only team with two TEs named.
Bears Urged to Lean Into Active Plan
Fowler noted that Johnson “knows how to utilize Loveland and veteran Cole Kmet,” who also happened to make the list as an “honorable mention.”
“He’s still a quality player who’s friendly for a young quarterback, good in the run game,” an unnamed exec said, per Fowler. “They need to find ways to get Kmet and Loveland on the field together.”
The Bears played Kmet and Loveland together plenty, as their multi-tight-end rate illustrates.
Moreover, Kmet’s 66.5% snap share and Loveland’s 60.7% mark ranked second and fourth, respectively, among the Bears’ offensive skill players last season, per Pro Football Reference.
Only former Bears wide receiver DJ Moore logged a greater snap share, and Rome Odunze–whose foot issues from last year have been a storyline this offseason–is the only player between them.
There is no reason to believe the Bears would go away from that in Year 2 under Johnson.
The Bears got positive returns from pairing Kmet and Loveland last season, raising expectations for the duo in 2026.
Bears ‘Freak of Nature’ Gets Shoutout From Caleb Williams
For all of the fanfare around Loveland’s ceiling, or his continued pairing alongside Kmet, Williams put the alert out on rookie third-round pick Sam Roush, who replaces veteran Durham Smythe.
Told he has “two absolute dawgs” at tight end in Kmet and Loveland, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams noted a third.
“We got a new guy, new rookie guy. He’s built like the other guys, also. Tall, he’s smooth, he’s a freak of nature. Run block, pass block, catch, all of that,” Williams said on the “New Heights” podcast in June.
“Whatever we need, and we got three of those now. So, we’re juiced. I’m juiced. It’s always an advantage when you can have one tight end. But when you have three that can do it all, it’s a big advantage and up to us. So, I’m excited. I know over here on the Bears side of town, we’re really excited. So, it’s going to be fun.”
The multi-faceted skill sets Kmet, Loveland, and Roush possess give Johnson and the Bears myriad options for how they want to deploy them and exploit opposing defenses.
