What to expect from Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland in Ben Johnson's offense

Before Ben Johnson called plays for the Detroit Lions’ offense, he was a position coach.

Johnson coached the Lions’ tight ends from 2020-21. That background with the position group paid dividends when Johnson became a play caller and was paired with Sam LaPorta.

In the last two seasons they were together, LaPorta finished as one of the best tight ends in the NFL. LaPorta caught 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns in his rookie season, which earned him a Pro Bowl spot. LaPorta followed up Year 1 with 60 catches, 726 yards, and seven touchdowns in his sophomore season.

Johnson proved he could maximize a young, talented tight end, and the hope is that the Bears' head coach can replicate that type of production with Chicago's tight ends: Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland.

Tight End Success

While Johnson was calling plays in Detroit, his game plans incorporated strategic ways to attack defenses combined with plenty of creativity. One area that Johnson and LaPorta excelled at in the last two seasons was in tight alignments.

While Johnson was calling plays in Detroit, his game plans incorporated strategic ways to attack defenses combined with plenty of creativity. One area that Johnson and LaPorta excelled at in the last two seasons was in tight alignments.

According to Pride of Detroit writer Al Karsten, LaPorta has caught 13 touchdowns from a tight alignment since 2023 – the most in the NFL and “five more than the next closest receiver during that span.”

Johnson identified a simple yet effective way to create advantageous opportunities for LaPorta, and the young tight end took full advantage.

The two were also effective when play action was incorporated into the play design. According to Football Insights, Laporta finished 23rd in the NFL in play-action yards per route run with 3.12. That was the eighth-best mark among tight ends last season. Kmet finished fifth among tight ends with his 3.47 yards per route run in 2024.

Loveland finished as one of the most productive tight ends in college football last season, finishing third in yards per route run and first downs per route run among qualifying FBS tight ends, according to Nate Tice.

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Johnson has two talented tight ends in Chicago, and if he can get similar production out of Kmet and Loveland like he did with LaPorta, then the Bears’ offense will be a disruptive unit to defend.