Colston Loveland has become one of the Bears' shining stars in recent weeks and has been riding an upward trend since his breakout performance against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Loveland logged six receptions on seven targets for 118 yards that game and earned himself the honor of
NFC Offensive Player of the Week. In the Bears' Week 10 win against the Giants, Loveland posted a perfect four receptions on four targets for 55 yards.
As veteran tight end Cole Kmet works through a groin issue, lingering back pain, and a concussion that cut short his Bengals appearance, the door has opened for Loveland. On the season, Kmet has netted 11 catches on 23 targets for 147 yards, which is a 47% completion rate.
Loveland has posted 21 receptions on 29 targets for 289 yards, which is a 72% completion rate. Bears fans are excited about their newest first-round draft pick, and Loveland has stepped up.
Loveland’s Emergence Could Shape Chicago’s Playoff Push
A recent article by Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox predicts that Colston Loveland will be the biggest breakout player for the Bears in the second half of the season.
"Colston Loveland had his breakout a couple of weeks ago, following an injury to fellow tight end Cole Kmet. Against the Bengals, the rookie grabbed six passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns—including the game-winner.
The Chicago Bears will find it hard to keep Loveland out of the game plan moving forward. Expect him to fully justify his selection at No. 10 overall during the next two months."
The argument doesn't go in depth as to why they've chosen Loveland, but it's clear to Bears fans everywhere that general manager Ryan Poles made the right choice selecting Loveland 10th overall in the 2025 NFL draft. As trust and chemistry build between Loveland and quarterback Caleb Williams, head coach Ben Johnson will have a tough time keeping the young tight end on the sidelines.
With the Bears sitting at 6-3 moving into the back half of the season, Chicago battles with the rest of the NFC North for a playoff spot. At the time of this writing, the Bears hold the sixth seed position, above the 5-3-1 Packers, and the 4-5 Vikings.
With eight games in the season remaining, a lot can happen. The Bears will need proven skill sets if they're going to beat out the Lions for the top spot in the NFC North.
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Loveland and the rest of the Bears' offense will need to be in top condition as they face four more games against their home division, one of the toughest in football. Every playoff push needs a spark, and for Chicago, that spark could very well be wearing #84.