Ahead of the Wild Card game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, ESPN identified rookie tight end Colston Loveland as the matchup's X-Factor.
At just 21 years old, Loveland has already become a focal point in Chicago and a fan favorite. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has regularly targeted Loveland throughout the course of the season, and the young tight end has proven his ability to catch the ball.
It's not a surprise that ESPN named Loveland the X-factor when you consider his stats over the last few weeks. His last two performances have been outstanding, and his usage reflects that. The final two weeks of the season both saw Loveland targeted 10+ times. At 6-foot-6, Loveland uses his size and strength to muscle his way to having the ball in his hands.
A First-Round Bet Paying Off Early
Tight ends rarely contribute at such a high level early in their career, but that just goes to show why Loveland was so highly valued coming into the draft last April. The Bears selected him as their first-round pick at 10th overall. The Bears knew what they were getting with Loveland, and he hasn't disappointed.
Loveland's rise to a position of trust isn't by accident, and it's certainly not something forced; it's something earned. The data follows suit, and you can see a clear upward trend in his usage in the passing game. Loveland finished the regular season with 58 catches on 82 targets, which comes out to a 70.7 completion percentage.
Many successful quarterbacks have had a reliable tight end on their side. Tom Brady famously had Gronkowski at the ready for years, with the pair winning the Super Bowl for two separate franchises. Pat Mahomes and Travis Kelce have dominated the QB/TE landscape for several years now, also winning the Super Bowl multiple times.
It's not insane to see the building blocks of a similar relationship growing between Williams and Loveland, and Ben Johnson is just the right coach to foster such an age. With a season already under their belt, the road for the two young Bears is only beginning.
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That steady climb is exactly what puts Loveland in the spotlight. As the Bears enter a playoff environment that demands precision and trust, his role within the offense figures to be as important as it has been all season.