The Chicago Bears entered the season with high hopes and expectations for their offense. With Ben Johnson set to take the reins of the team after the dark days under Matt Eberflus' tutelage, there were plenty of reasons for optimism.
So far, the new-look Bears have certainly looked much better on that side of the field. Caleb Williams is quietly having a very good season, and, led by their offense, they're now riding a very respectable three-game winning streak after consecutive losses to start the season. However, not all has been positive.
The Bears Need to Get Their Tight Ends Involved
As pointed out by Ben Fennell of CBS Sports on X, the Bears entered Week 6 dead last in receptions by their tight ends. They ranked No. 32 in the league with just ten, and they failed to get that unit going in their win over the Washington Commanders as well.
So far, Bears tight ends have combined for a total of 13 receptions. Rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland has hauled in five catches on nine targets for 54 yards, and Cole Kmet has recorded eight grabs on 18 targets for 116 yards and one touchdown.
Even with the Bears playing one fewer game than most teams in the league, and Loveland missing one game with an injury, this is terrible news. Kmet has often drawn criticism for his lack of involvement, along with dropped passes, and rightfully so, but the play-calling and play design aren't doing him any favors, either.
Johnson made a habit of getting Sam LaPorta going early and often during his days with the Detroit Lions. Both LaPorta and T.J. Hockenson were also perennial targets in the endzone, and that just hasn't been the case in Chicago. Of course, it makes sense that he adapts his plays to his new personnel, but it still feels like a disservice.
Kmet has been tangled up in trade rumors since the Bears took Loveland with the No. 10 pick. It would make sense for the team to attempt to ship him elsewhere and create more room for the rookie out of Michigan. However, they haven't seemed even slightly motivated to enhance Loveland's involvement.
Caleb Williams has more than enough mouths to feed on offense right now, and the Bears are doing well with an average of 25.2 points per game. All good things could be better, though, and Chicago needs to make the most of its weapons.