While sitting in front of the television screen back in April for the 2025 NFL Draft, when the Chicago Bears got to number 10, many thought that if they would go tight end, it would be Penn State standout Tyler Warren. Instead, they went with the second-ranked tight end of the rookie class, Michigan pass catcher Colston Loveland.
Fans chalked it up to Bears general manager Ryan Poles and new head coach Ben Johnson knowing something they didn't know. Loveland was a stellar tight end in college and was a John Mackey Award finalist with the Wolverines.
After recovering from his injury before training camp, Loveland showed some flashes of how truly great he can be in the NFL via practices and preseason. The expectations got higher entering the 2025 season with Loveland looking to be the next Sam LaPorta in Johnson's tight end-friendly offense.
Spoiler alert, that hasn't happened. And yes, Warren looks elite.
Poles might have messed up on the Loveland pick, and it gets more obvious each day
This is the part that no Bears fans want to read, but must accept. The numbers between Warren and Loveland are so staggeringly different that it's a bad look no matter how they turn it.
Through six games, Warren has racked up 29 receptions for 370 yards and two touchdowns, catching both scores in each of the last two weeks. He's averaging 4.8 receptions for 61.7 yards per game.
Feel free to skip this paragraph, but it's time for Loveland's stats. He had made three receptions for 43 yards in three games. 31 of those 43 yards came on just one catch against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3.
Johnson has publicly admitted that he has not gotten the tight ends as involved in the passing game and took accountability for that. Loveland has been dealing with a hip injury that kept him out of the Week 4 match against the Las Vegas Raiders and leaves him questionable for the Week 6 game against the Washington Commanders.
There are a lot of things that have gone against Loveland this season, but it's hard to ignore the fact that Warren looks elite compared to Loveland. A lot can still change in that time, but Loveland still needs some development.
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Hopefully, Loveland will return for the Commanders' game and get back on track, playing at the high level he did in college.