NFL intelligence feed

Colston Loveland was the focal point of the Bears offense in practice three, with Nicholas Moreano of Bears REKAP noting 'It was the Caleb Williams, Colston Loveland show on Friday at Halas Hall in practice number three.' Loveland caught three of Caleb Williams' last four passes, including a 14-yard seam route touchdown, demonstrating strong connection and chemistry with the rookie QB. The tight end was consistently in the spots Williams expected him to be, showcasing early offensive rapport.

Colston Loveland is rated 84 overall at tight end in Madden NFL 27, placing him seventh on the Bears roster; this reflects his status as a key receiving target in the game's valuation.

Colston Loveland made a nifty diving catch for 20 yards in 11-on-11 drills with linebacker Devin Bush in tight coverage, demonstrating his ability to make contested catches and execute in game-speed situations.

Second-year tight end Colston Loveland is making big strides in training camp ahead of a pivotal year two, with the source noting that 'everybody's noticing it.' This suggests meaningful improvement and positive momentum for the tight end position.

Colston Loveland made a nifty diving catch for 20 yards in 11-on-11 drills with LB Devin Bush in tight coverage, showcasing his ability to make plays in contested situations. The catch was described as a 'dart of a throw' by Caleb Williams, highlighting the connection between the rookie tight end and the quarterback.

Loveland is the true locked-in top pass-catching option in the Chicago Bears offense, viewed by both analysts as the real number one pass catcher in this offense—potentially ahead of the wide receivers. He's a second-year tight end who is the clear primary target.

Bears are committed to giving more touches to Loveland in Ben Johnson's offense with Caleb Williams in his second season.

Colston Loveland is expected to see much higher expectations in 2026 following the Bears' breakout 2025 campaign. The source notes the franchise is leaning on natural improvement from young offensive stars, with Loveland specifically highlighted as a player whose performance should elevate in Year 2.

Colston Loveland is expected to see much higher expectations in 2026 following a breakout 2025 season. The Bears are banking on natural improvement from their young offensive core, with Loveland positioned as a key development piece alongside Caleb Williams and Luther Burden III.

Ben Johnson's scheme heavily favors tight end route volume: 12 personnel on 33% of plays (5th in NFL) and 13 personnel at 9% (5th in NFL); Bears ranked 6th in play action (33%) and 6th in motion at snap (59%), both areas that consistently boost TE efficiency; Loveland's early-season film was primarily blocking (5 rec, 54 yards in first 4 games) before receiving increased target volume.

At 6'6", 241 lbs, Loveland is too big for most defensive backs to match and too good a route runner for most linebackers to cover; blocking was underrated coming out of Michigan and proved effective in Ben Johnson's offense, enabling increased target volume as season progressed; 13 personnel deployment with Cole Kmet and Sam Roush allows Bears to attack mismatches regardless of defensive alignment.

Ranked tier 2 among tight ends by Matthew Berry's Fantasy Life (behind only Brock Bowers and Trey McBride), with a 2026 projection built on rare combo of target-earning and vertical usage similar to ceiling seasons from Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham, and Mark Andrews; aDOT of 9.0 (tied 4th among TEs in 2025) increased to 12.5 in playoff games.

Colston Loveland is part of Chicago's young offensive talent that benefits from DJ Moore's departure. Ben Johnson's scheme appears tailored toward Loveland's skill set, with most of the designed/schemed looks in the offense going to Loveland (along with Luther Burden) in Weeks 9-13. Loveland was still being acclimated from an offseason injury in Weeks 1-8, running just 52% of routes, suggesting increased involvement as he returns to full health.

The source has spent much of the offseason dumping on the Bears and Caleb Williams due to expected regression, but Loveland has the talent to stand above it and is the only piece on that team the source actually trusts. Loveland was selected in the second round of the SFB16 draft.

Colston Loveland emerged as a focal point of the Bears offense starting in Week 9 of 2025; he was being acclimated following an offseason injury and ran just 52% of routes in Weeks 1-8, but from Weeks 9-13, most of the designed and schemed looks in Ben Johnson's offense went to Loveland and Burden rather than Odunze.

The source spent much of the offseason criticizing the Bears and Caleb Williams due to expected regression, but identifies Loveland as the only piece on that team he actually trusts. He has the talent to stand above the team's expected decline and was selected in Round 2 of the SFB16 draft.

The source prefers Loveland as a tight end target in round four over higher-ceiling options with elevated draft cost; positioned as a preferred alternative to more expensive tier-one ceiling tight ends.

Tier 1 tight end with elite versatility; can block defensive ends and split wide to beat corners (including outside corners) and destroy linebackers and slot corners. The source emphasizes that tier 1 tight ends "can just win" without needing screen passes, play-action bootlegs, or designed plays—they can be the number one option on their team and put together 120+ receptions and 15 touchdowns seasons. Ben Johnson will center the offense around Loveland; the Bears' new system (new for Love, Burks, Caleb Williams, and the offensive line) will unlock cleaner execution and new wrinkles by next season. Loveland should be drafted in the fourth round and is a must-play even at that cost, though the source ranks him slightly behind McBride.