During the first few games of the season, it became easy to quickly declare Chicago Bears rookie tight end Colston Loveland a bust. Fellow rookie tight end Tyler Warren, who was drafted after him, was outdoing him, and Loveland also missed a game due to a hip injury when plans to get him more involved were revealed.
Over the last three games, as fellow tight end Cole Kmet has dealt with a run of injuries, opportunity has knocked for Loveland. In Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals, that opportunity turned into a full-on breakthrough, with six receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns (including the game-winner late in the fourth quarter).
On Wednesday, the NFL announced Loveland won NFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 9. The last Bears' rookie to win that award was running back Jordan Howard in Week 8 of the 2008 season. Loveland is the first rookie tight end to win the award since Jeremy Shockey in 2002.
Ben Johnson makes it clear how Colston Loveland has always ben viewed
The Bears selecting Loveland 10th overall in April's draft, despite perceived bigger needs and Kmet's presence on the roster, clearly came with head coach Ben Johnson's stamp all over it. Being the first draft pick of the Johnson era in Chicago is a distinction Loveland will always have, and there have always been plans for him to be a big factor in the offense. It just took a little time, as it often does with rookies.
During his press conference before Wednesday's practice heading into Week 10 against the New York Giants, Johnson was asked about Loveland winning NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
"It's well deserved", Johnson said. "I thought he came through for us. It really wasn't the first week he's done that. We've kind put him in some positions there, throughout the season so far, where, fourth quarter and we need to close a game out and the ball tended to find his hands."
Johnson continued to laud Loveland's performance against the Bengals, with expectations that he will continue to deliver moving forward. Then Johnson delivered a punch line about the rookie tight end.
"He's exactly what we thought we were acquiring when we drafted him."
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To say the least, Loveland is unlikely to repeat what he did against a horrible Bengals' defense on a regular basis. However, that performance appears to be a significant factor in the Bears' offense, and Johnson all but confirmed it with his comments on Wednesday.