While the Chicago Bears' defense has shown significant improvement since the bye week, it's hard to say the same thing about the offense. The rushing attack has certainly taken a step forward, but the passing game is still a work in progress. There are obviously different reasons why that has been the case, but the lack of production from the tight end room is certainly a big one.
When the Bears selected Colston Loveland with the 10th-overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, many thought that the TE rotation would be a big strength for the team. After seven weeks, however, that couldn't be farther from reality, and it's been even more frustrating as other first-year tight ends have had plenty of success so far.
But despite his not being able to make an impact so far, the Bears shouldn't be worried about their coveted rookie.
Bears Fans Must Be Patient with Colston Loveland
Tight ends can take a while to adjust to the physicality of the NFL, even though looking around the NFL may not make one think that. Oronde Gadsden of the Los Angeles Chargers and Tyler Warren of the Indianapolis Colts have been on fire in recent weeks, playing a big role for their teams early on.
Gadsden had 241 yards and two touchdowns in the last two weeks, and Warren has scored a TD in three straight games. Considering how Warren was projected to be the Bears' pick over Loveland heading into the draft, the fan base's frustration is understandable. At the same time, Bears fans need to remember that productive rookie tight ends are the exception, not the rule.
Loveland was one of the youngest players selected in his draft class, just having turned 21 a few weeks before the draft. He has Cole Kmet ahead of him in the pecking order, as well as three wide receivers the team is high on. Understandably, the coaching staff would want to bring him on slowly.
Plus, Bears fans remember how long it took Kmet to get going. He only had 28 catches for 243 receiving yards as a rookie before jumping up to 60 and 612, respectively, in Year 2. He then posted a 123-1,263-13 stat line in 34 starts across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, solidifying his spot as a key part of Chicago's attack.
Most tight ends are going to follow that trajectory and not make an immediate impact à la Warren, Gadsden, or Brock Bowers.
It's not like Loveland is behind schedule, either. He played a season-high 46 snaps in Week 7 after Kmet left the game early in the third quarter. The rookie TE had a season-high four targets and three catches, becoming more of an option in the passing game, and it wouldn't be surprising if his numbers grow against a Baltimore Ravens defense that has allowed 402 yards to tight ends — 10th-most in the NFL.
Of all the problems in the Bears' offense, Loveland's slow start is not a high priority. Quarterback Caleb Williams has not exactly been a superstar through the first six games of the season, after all, so one can argue that Loveland is doing the best with what he has.
Before force-feeding targets to Loveland just to get him more involved and prove a point, the Bears need to focus on more important things, like getting Williams to play like a true franchise QB. The rest will solve itself afterward.