Two Bears land in the top five of PFF's rookie rankings for the Wild Card Round

Colston Loveland obviously had a great game, but he wasn't the only rookie who played lights out against Green Bay.

Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland (84) runs after the catch as Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker (7) defends during the second half of an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

For the first time in 15 years, only eight teams are remaining in the playoffs, and the Bears are one of them. They wouldn't have gotten nearly as far as they have if not for the substantial immediate returns provided by their rookie class. In fact, you could make a strong case that they have the league's best rookie class.

Two of their rookies, specifically, came up huge in their comeback victory over the Packers in the Wild Card Round.

1. Colston Loveland - 90.6 📈

The highest-graded rookies from the Wild Card roundhttps://t.co/RrbSxtBbnW

— PFF (@PFF) January 13, 2026

It should come as no surprise that Loveland finished as the top graded rookie of the weekend with a 90.6 PFF grade. His 90.1 receiving grade also led all pass-catchers regardless of experience. He led the team with eight catches for 137 yards, and also caught the two-point conversion that cut the Packers' lead to three late in the game. No rookie tight end has ever put up those types of numbers in a playoff game in NFL history.

Colston Loveland is the first rookie TE to have 8+ receptions and 100+ yards in a playoff game in NFL history 🤯@ChicagoBears | #DaBears pic.twitter.com/oG6pKGmLiz

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) January 11, 2026

He has already established himself as Caleb Williams' go-to target and has become one of the league's best tight ends. Not bad for a rookie who won't turn 22 until April.

While Loveland's place on the list shouldn't come as a shock, some might be surprised to see that left tackle Ozzy Trapilo was also one of the highest graded rookies of the week. He ranked fourth among first-year players with a 76 PFF grade before leaving the game with a ruptured patellar tendon late in the fourth quarter.

While Trapilo gave up seven pressures (one of which came on the play that got hurt), he more than held his own in the running game. The 23-year-old finished the game with an 85.9 run-blocking grade, which was the second-best among all linemen for the week.

Trapilo has been a stable presence at left tackle since taking over the starting job in Week 12. He fortified the position and was a huge upgrade over Theo Benedet, who will probably start at LT following his injury, and Braxton Jones. While he might've stumbled out of the gates to begin the season (the coaching staff initially moved him back to the right side to back up Darnell Wright), he more than lived up to his second-round expectations over the past two months.

The Bears will definitely miss what the University of Boston College product brought to the lineup, both in the short term and potentially in the long term. He certainly won't be ready for the start of next season, and might miss the entire year depending on the severity of the injury. It's a shame that they will still need to prioritize the left tackle position in the offseason, regardless of how great Trapilo has played.

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