Several things have grabbed the attention of Chicago Bears fans in the first four games, with one of the biggest talking points being the effectiveness of the Bears' tight ends under head coach Ben Johnson.
Johnson’s previous stint as the Lions' offensive coordinator had many excited about what he could do in Chicago after making T.J. Hockenson and Sam LaPorta household names. The Bears also had an established tight end under Cole Kmet and added another blue-chip prospect by taking Colston Loveland 10th overall, breathing new life into a position that had been dormant last season.
Unfortunately, the plan has shown flaws in the first four games. With Kmet and Loveland failing to make a major impact, it appears the Bears once again have a problem at tight end, and it could have Johnson showing general manager Ryan Poles some of the mistakes he’s been making when trying to address the position.
Bears' TE Problems Highlighted by Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland's Struggles, Tyler Warren's Rise
Poles has had his share of draft whiffs since arriving in Chicago in 2022, but tight end has been an even bigger mystery. Kmet was there when Poles was hired as general manager, and the GM decided to extend him after his first season, giving the veteran a four-year, $50 million contract extension in 2023. While keeping him around has had some value as Loveland gets up to speed, Kmet hasn’t done much to show that he can be an impact player, with just seven catches for 116 yards and a touchdown so far this season.
The Bears may have identified Kmet's decline before drafting Loveland in April, but the rookie TE also may have been a whiff. In addition to a shoulder injury that he suffered during his final year at Michigan and a hip injury that kept him out of Sunday’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders, the Bears picked Loveland over Tyler Warren, who was considered by many to be the top tight end prospect in the draft.
Warren has looked as advertised for the Indianapolis Colts over the first four games, catching 19 passes for 263 yards. While Loveland could match this production when healthy, it raises the questions about the type of players that Poles has been drafting — especially considering what all three tight ends did in Week 4.
While Warren was having a solid game with five catches for 70 yards and even scored a rushing TD in the Colts’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Kmet was dreadful against the Raiders. He was targeted nine times in the win, but only came away with three catches for 46 yards and a brutal drop in the second quarter that would have been a first down in the red zone. He also had a false start that turned a fourth-and-inches into a fourth-and-five, forcing the Bears into a punt.
The Bears won the game, but having Warren could have made it a little easier than the final score of 25-24 indicated. The Colts TE's continued breakout also further solidifies that GM Poles' nose for talent is questionable at best.
Declining to take Warren already feels like one of the Bears' biggest mistakes of the offseason, and it'll be hard to ignore the elephant in the room until Loveland proves his worth.