Colston Loveland vs. Tyler Warren: Did Chicago Bears draft the wrong tight end?

Through four weeks, first-round tight end Tyler Warren has significantly outperformed the Bears' 10th overall choice of Colston Loveland.

Bears tight end Colston Loveland (84) makes a catch against the Cowboys in Week 3. | David Banks-Imagn Images

Welcome to the Chicago Bears' Bye week, where knee-jerk reactions and premature opinions freely flow at the NFL's (almost) quarter-pole of the season.

The Bears under first-year head coach Ben Johnson are 2-2, with a blowout loss, a blowout win and fourth-quarter games in which they should have won (they lost to the Vikings) and should have lost (they beat the Raiders).

One gnawing question, however, stands out: Did the Bears draft the wrong tight end?

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In April general manager Ryan Poles shocked most NFL experts when he drafted Michigan's Colston Loveland over Penn State's Tyler Warren with the 10th overall pick. Warren went four spots later to the Indianapolis Colts.

The Bears reasoned that Loveland was a "Day 1 impact player" who was "more athletic" and three years younger than Warren. He was drafted to be Chicago's version of Sam LaPorta, the tight end who flourished in Johnson's offense in Detroit.

Colts tight end Tyler Warren (84) runs against the Rams in Week 4. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

It's a small sample size and variables such are injuries are in play, but so far the selection looks like a Bears' gaffe.

We gave Loveland a C-minus in our quarter-pole grades this week. Bleacher Report isn't as generous, giving him the lowest grade of any rookie: D-minus. Of the 32 first-round rookies, only Miami Dolphins' defensive tackle Kenneth Grant (13th) also received a D-minus.

Writes B/R of Loveland: "A Week 3 hip injury is a factor, but that doesn't explain receiving just three targets in Weeks 1 and 2. He's caught three passes for 43 yards on 80 NFL snaps."

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Warren, meanwhile, received an A.

"With 263 receiving yards through four weeks, the Penn State product could be pulling off a Brock Bowers circa 2024," B/R says. "He leads all NFL tight ends in that category. And while you could nitpick he's yet to catch a touchdown pass, he did rushf or a score in Week 4."

Warren's 19 catches through four weeks leads all rookies. Loveland has Pro Football Focus' lowest run-blocking grade of the Bears' four tight ends.

The early review are in ... and they're ugly.

Bears tight end Colston Loveland (84) makes a catch against the Vikings in Week 1. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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