Colston Loveland Has Surprised Bears Coaches With A Hidden Asset

The Chicago Bears drafted Colston Loveland because he is a rare specimen. Few tight ends have his mixture of size, speed, and route-running skills. He's too big for defensive backs and too fast for linebackers. Teams would kill for the matchup advantages he can provide. It is why there is an eternal hunt for their likeness, as Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and others have changed the game. The Bears have had that type of player twice in their history. Both led to playoff success. Mike Ditka helped them win the 1963 NFL championship. Greg Olsen was the main reason for Chicago's last playoff victory in 2010.

However, through the first week of training camp, head coach Ben Johnson has come to a realization. The physical talent might not be what makes Loveland such a nightmare to cover. It is his intelligence. Head coach Ben Johnson spoke about it in an interview. Most players see the game of football from the perspective of the position they play. That is hardly a surprise. However, Loveland sees it like a quarterback would. He can immediately decipher the defense's coverages, if they're sending pressure, and what route he must run to counter it. Having a skill player with that advantage, especially a rookie, is rare.

Colston Loveland is already proving this on the field.

Remember, he didn't practice at all in the spring, still recovering from his shoulder injury last year. That didn't seem to matter. He's been making plays in every practice since stepping on the field. Defenders can't handle his size and speed, and his intelligence allows him to find the soft spots in coverage. It is everything the Bears could've asked for. There is a reason other teams were desperate to trade up for Colston Loveland in the draft. They saw the same things Chicago did. If he ends up becoming the star that the Bears envision, those teams will wish they'd paid whatever price was asked of them.