Chicago Bears rising star Colston Loveland is fresh off one of the most productive seasons by a rookie tight end in NFL history. However, he's not satisfied in hindsight — far from it, actually.
All Loveland did was become the 12th player at a historically slow-developing position to eclipse the 700-yard mark (713) in his inaugural campaign. Really, it's no big deal, right?
Generally speaking, Loveland did alright in his eyes, at least by a first-year pro's standards. Nevertheless, the 2025 first-round pick has made it crystal clear that he has higher expectations for himself moving forward, which is frightening for opposing defenses.
When addressing the media on the first day of the Bears' mandatory minicamp, Loveland talked about wanting to improve in all facets of his game.
"It's watching the tape and knowing, like, it was good for a rookie, but it's not going to be good enough for a second-year or third-year guy," Loveland told reporters. "Knowing that, it's, 'All right, flush that. Clean up on the tape and [focus on] certain things I need to get better at — which is dang near everything."
Bears star TE Colston Loveland believes the best has yet to come
Holy mackerel! Loveland feels like he has room for growth in every area, specifically as a run-blocker. Statistically speaking, though, he's selling himself quite short.
Loveland quickly showed why his combination of size (6-foot-6, 241 pounds), speed and athleticism makes him a matchup nightmare. He's too big for defensive backs and too fast for linebackers. Not to mention, the Michigan product has developed a strong rapport with Bears franchise quarterback Caleb Williams that will only get better over time.
"Things are hitting at a faster and better rate than they were last year [with Williams]," Loveland stated.
54 tight ends recorded at least 25 targets last season, including the playoffs, and Loveland was one of them. He ranked near the top in the following key categories, courtesy of Pro Football Focus ($):
- Third in receiving yards (906)
- Fifth in receiving first downs (44)
- Sixth in yards per route run (1.97)
- Tied for sixth in yards per reception (12.9)
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It's not like Loveland was just dinking and dunking his way to elite numbers either. He was fourth in average depth of target, aka aDOT (10.0 yards). With no shortage of playmakers around him, there could be an "everybody eats" situation in Chicago.
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