There has been an uptick in speculation that the Chicago Bears may target the tight end position during the early rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Both Tyler Warren from Penn State and Colston Loveland from Michigan could be on the board when the Bears are on the clock with the No. 10 selection.
Should the Chicago Bears consider drafting Colston Loveland or Tyler Warren?
The easy argument is that it does not fit perfectly. Cole Kmet is already on the roster, and entering his theoretical prime seasons. Do they really need another tight end, and if so, would it be worth the risk involved, considering most first-round tight ends don’t have immediate success like Brock Bowers did last season?
On the flip side, these two prospects are highly regarded because they can be used in special ways. Loveland was in the slot or out wide for 66.2% of his routes last season per PFF. Yes, he would play tight end at times, but a lot of his rookie season may be serving as a de facto slot receiver while Kmet is the true tight end. The Bears do have a need for that, and he contrasts the smaller slot receiver Olamide Zacchaeus.
Tyler Warren was out wide or in slot 59.8% of the time, but he would take direct snaps and had 22 carries for 195 yards last season. While Warren has more traditional tight end traits than Loveland, he could still be a chess piece that Ben Johnson would like to use.
The question is if the Bears can have the patience to not get immediate high-end impacts from someone that they draft tenth overall. A role player for the first two or three seasons with the hopes of being a franchise tight end sounds great, but as a top-ten pick, the Bears may be seeking someone who can provide immediate impact.