Bear Digest

Bears rookie is closing the gap with another highly drafted prospect

Colston Loveland has been making the doubters look foolish for counting him out too quickly.
Pete Martuneac|
Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The NFL is not known as a patient league. Teams, coaches, fans, and analysts all expect immediate results, especially from players drafted near the top of their class, as in the case of Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland. The Bears selected Loveland with the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but the former Michigan Wolverine underwhelmed to begin the season. The ball wasn't coming his way and he also missed time due to injuries.

Making matters worse, another rookie tight end was lighting the league on fire during his NFL debut. Tyler Warren, drafted four spots after Loveland by the Indianapolis Colts, started the season on a tear, racking up 23 catches for 307 yards and a touchdown in his first five games. In that same time frame, Loveland (who played four games to Warren's five) had just five catches for 54 yards and zero touchdowns. No, those aren't any typos and I didn't miscount. Five catches. 54 yards.

It sure looked like another case of the Bears drafting another first-round bust. However, the NFL is also a 'what have you done for me lately' league, and lately Loveland has completely flipped the script. Over the last three games, his production is matching and slightly outpacing Warren, especially in Week 9. Loveland finally scored his first touchdown in a wild game against the Bengals, then added a second touchdown which ended up being the game winner.

Joel Moran is correct; it's time to have a conversation, and the conversation should center around the Bears potentially drafting the next great tight end at 10th overall, despite almost every draft analyst projecting a defensive or offensive lineman for them.

Every rookie develops at their own pace

As is often said during conversations about the Bears' quarterback, fans and analysts need to be reminded once again that every rookie develops at a different pace, especially when they're drafted into completely different situations. Loveland went to a team that had three excellent wide receivers and an experienced tight end ahead of him on the depth chart. Production was always going to be hard to come by for the rookie.

Warren, on the other hand, was arguably the most talented pass catcher in Indy from the moment he was drafted, hence his central role in Shane Steichen's offense. Any comparison between the two rookies, therefore, was never a fair one, especially so early in their careers, but it didn't stop fans and some analysts from making jokes at Loveland's expense.

We still have a long way to go in the 2025 season, and both of these players still have plenty of developing to do, but it sure looks like Loveland is having the last laugh over his doubters. If Sunday's victory, a game where we saw Ben Johnson let Caleb Williams hunt for Loveland on the game's most pivotal play, is any indication, Loveland is going to be a draft gem for the Bears.

Colston Lovelan
Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

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Pete Martuneac
PETE MARTUNEAC

A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.