Sounds Like Colston Loveland Has NFC North Rivals Nervous

Chicago Bears fans didn't know how to react at first. They'd been expecting something different with the 10th overall pick. Maybe a top running back or one of the edge rushers. There was confusion when the team selected Michigan tight end Colston Loveland. Many didn't even see him as the best at his position in the draft. Tyler Warren of Penn State had been considerably more productive. Finding an explanation took some time. As information flowed out, it became apparent head coach Ben Johnson felt Loveland was a perfect fit for his offense—somebody with genuine star potential.

It appears others inside the division share the same opinion. ESPN polled NFC North insiders with an interesting question. Who will be the best rookie in the division this year? Kevin Seifert of the Vikings and Eric Woodyard of the Lions both had the same name in mind.

Seifert: Loveland. The Bears still have Kmet on the roster, so Loveland's immediate impact could be limited. But by the end of the season, one way or another, Loveland will have emerged as a force in Johnson's offense -- much as LaPorta did for the Lions in 2023. Loveland will be too good to keep off the field, and he'll be an important option for Williams.

Woodyard: Loveland. He reminds me of LaPorta, and we all saw how that worked out for Detroit in his rookie season, when he set an NFL rookie tight end record with 86 receptions with Johnson as his OC.

It's pretty clear they recognize the danger. Johnson victimized Minnesota with Sam LaPorta for two years, and Loveland might be more talented than the Pro Bowler. Detroit employed the former coach. They know what he can do with talents like that.

Colston Loveland presents challenges that have no easy fixes.

There is a reason many of the best teams in the NFL have really good-to-great tight ends. Kansas City has Travis Kelce. Philadelphia has Dallas Goedert. San Francisco has George Kittle. Baltimore has Mark Andrews. Top tight ends present problems that NFL defenses can't easily deal with. They are often too big and strong for cornerbacks to cover, but too quick and fast for linebackers. It isn't a coincidence that the Bears' last playoff victory featured a top performance from Greg Olsen before they traded him. That is what the team hopes to get from Colston Loveland. The sheer number of matchup advantages he brings can't be overstated. Other teams in the division are wise to be a little uneasy.