Bear Digest

Colston Loveland promises Bears only 'breaking the seal' on skillset

Tight end Colston Loveland made a rapid ascension once he got his feet under him early this season and now has confidence he can do real damage.
Gene Chamberlain|
Colston Loveland reacts with a "back at you" to QB Caleb Williams for the TD throw at the back of the end zone last week.
Colston Loveland reacts with a "back at you" to QB Caleb Williams for the TD throw at the back of the end zone last week. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

If Colston Loveland's first act seem a smash hit, he promises you haven't seen anything yet.

"Just breaking the seal," Loveland said.

After leading the Bears in receptions (58) and receiving yards (713) and tying for the team lead in touchdown catches (6) as a rookie, Loveland is reminding all of one thing.

"I’m only 21," Loveland said. "So as long as I continue to trust in God, keep putting work in, things can definitely get better."

Loveland has been raking in praise from various websites and news services and made ESPN's all-rookie team, but he'll be limited in post-season award situations because he came in with a class full of top tight ends and really got a later start this year on success.

For instance, Loveland was only among "runners-up" at his position on The Athletic's All-Rookie team because both Tyler Warren and Harold Fannin had far more receptions.

The Athletic's draft expert, Dane Brugler, saw something from Loveland that maybe coach Jim Dray or offensive coordinator Declan Doyle or even extra work done each week with Caleb Williams brought out.

"Known more for his athletic traits, Loveland was particularly  impressive in tight windows, which is encouraging because that wasn’t a strength of his last season at Michigan," Brugler wrote.

Loveland had a slow start partly because of the surgery he had last year that kept him from participating in offseason work but quickly became one of the receivers Williams looks to on big downs. He has four fourth-down receptions this year.   

"We certainly, as we felt more comfortable with him in some of those bigger spots, we started to move him around a little bit more," offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said. "Early on, there were plenty of opportunities for him on the sheet, and yet sometimes that's how it goes. Coverage doesn't dictate that the ball goes there.

"As the season progressed and he became very reliable for us and we trust him, he's found himself in some more of those spots and he's taken advantage of that. He'll continue to do so and, like I said before, he's just a guy that we trust."

Loveland hasn't had less than three receptions in a game since Week 6 against the Commanders. He's coming off back-to-back season-high games, six catches for 94 yards against the 49ers and 10 for 91 against the Lions, with TDs in each game.

Doyle said it was apparent early what Loveland would eventually be able to do on big downs.

"Even in training camp, you kind of know what each piece is, that opinion evolves  as time goes on but there were certainly some critical third downs early in the year," Doyle said. "I'm thinking of like Cincinnati and some of those times where he's gotta go win one on one and he does a great job of doing it and you're looking at the tape and you're like, “all right, well, if we get in this situation again, and especially with the quarterback looking at it, he's like, ‘hey, I trust this guy,’  let's put him in these positions to go make plays for us.”

It hasn't always been by design for Loveland to get it on fourth down or third down, or even first or second down. He took rapidly to their coaching.

"I think the last few fourth downs, the ball seems to find its way to him," coach Ben Johnson said. "I think that's certainly a credit to him. The quarterbacks certainly trust him, but I think that probably sheds a lot of light in terms of how vital he is towards our operation."

Loveland is playing a position where he could run deep, short or block out of motion or from numerous spots. It's not simple for the move-tight end in the Johnson offense, but it's vital to have one who knows what he's doing. 

"We ask him to wear a lot of hats in terms of knowing the game plan, a lot of different positions, a lot of different responsibilities, run game, pass game, pass protection, and I think he's still learning and he's growing," Johnson said. "I'm really excited not only to see him compete over the next few weeks, but also his future.”

He is, after all, only 21 and led the Bears in receptions.  

There is one way Loveland can show he has quickly progressed even more, and that’s make  a big difference in Saturday night’s playoff game. The Packers bottled him up in two games, holding him to only 59 yards on seven receptions but with one TD.

Loveland said he’s taken to heart Johnson’s advice to the team after the loss to Detroit as he approaches his first postseason action.

“After the game he (Johnson) said if you’re not prepared to play the next five weeks, you’re thinking about anything else, you’re thinking about booking flights for vacation, don’t come in,” Loveland said. “He made it very clear about what’s at stake and what this team is looking for.”

When the Bears made things clear to Loveland throughout the season what's expected, it’s only led to positive results.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.