The Chicago Bears are one of the hottest teams in the league and own an 8-3 record going into Week 13. During their latest stretch, the Bears have been forced to find different ways to win, and rookie tight end Colston Loveland has played a big role in a lot of the team's recent success.
After starting off the season extremely slow and hearing the chatter of him being a draft bust, Loveland has turned things up a notch and has become a focal part of the passing attack. Since Week 7, when Loveland has started playing in at least 65% or more of the snaps, he has produced more than Indianapolis Colts rookie tight end Tyler Warren (h/t @JeromeyR0me).
Colston Loveland ( Since Week 7) | Tyler Warren (Since Week 7) |
|---|---|
Yards per reception: 14.1 | Yards per reception: 11.2 |
Yards per route run: 2.66 | Yards per route run: 2.13 |
PFF grade: 72.1 | PFF grade: 67.6 |
Touchdowns: 3 | Touchdowns: 1 |
Colston Loveland Has Become a True Weapon for Bears
Since Week 8 against the Ravens, Loveland has compiled 20 catches for 300 receiving yards and three touchdowns. As for Warren, he has 26 receptions with 292 receiving yards and one score in that same timeframe.
The Michigan product's sluggish start caught the attention of fans, which naturally triggered overreactions. And Loveland has quickly shut that down with his play. It's important to know that Loveland missed Chicago's rookie minicamp, organized team activities, and the beginning of training camp, as he was rehabbing from a shoulder injury. He also missed two games this season with a hip injury.
When you put all these things together, Loveland missed a bunch of valuable time that he could have used. It's not easy transitioning from college to the NFL, and missing critical reps is something that played a factor in his slow start. But it didn't stop him from finding his groove.
As the season has progressed, Loveland has emerged as a secure pass-catcher with the speed to be a mismatch for linebackers but the size at 6-foot-6 to wall off safeties. It's a nice weapon for the Bears to have, and it's fantastic that he's already making strides as a rookie.
In a tweet posted by Dave BFR, Loveland is first among NFL tight ends in drops (0), second in passer rating when targeted (156.3), tied for second in missed tackles forced (5), and fifth in yards after catch (133) over the last five weeks. Meanwhile, has the 11th most targets (25) over this span.
These stats show why there was a ton of optimism around Loveland's skillset, and it just took some time to get into a rhythm. He can be a true star at tight end who could end up being a real difference maker for this team. And his play recently ended any chatter on Loveland being a bust, leaving Bears fans with plenty of relief and a bright future to look forward to.