The Chicago Bears made a splash with the selection of tight end Colston Loveland in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The move came as a bit of a surprise considering Chicago had glaring needs on the offensive and defensive lines (at the time).
With Cole Kmet already in the mix at tight end, Chicago already had a guy that they trust in that position. It’s more likely that Ben Johnson wanted to create a two-tight-end set for his playbook. However, over the next few years, it’s hard to see them retaining Kmet if Loveland turns into a superstar tight end. A move like this should come with some caution based on the Bears‘ history.
Although over a decade has passed, Chicago doesn’t want Kmet to become the next Greg Olsen. They want to have the best years of both tight ends on the roster.
Olsen, a former first-round pick in 2007, spent four seasons with the Bears, but it was always clear that there was another level for him to get to. Chicago has always had lackluster offenses led by lackluster quarterbacks, which played a role in Olsen’s production never taking a leap there.
Former Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz didn’t believe he could make good use of Olsen’s talents in his offense, and former general manager Jerry Angelo shipped him off to the Carolina Panthers in July 2011 in exchange for a third-round pick. That pick became safety Brandon Taylor, who played four games in the NFL. Effectively, the Bears traded Olsen for nothing.
With Carolina, Olsen became one of the best tight ends in the NFL. He had over 800 yards receiving five times, including three 1,000-yard seasons. Olsen was a three-time Pro Bowler and made a Super Bowl appearance. It proved to be a major mistake made by the Bears, as we saw how good Olsen was with a competent quarterback and coaching staff.
History must not repeat itself. Kmet has shown early signs of having Olsen-like potential. He’s already a contributor, and he could make a leap in Ben Johnson’s offense. If Caleb Williams develops into the franchise player that Cam Newton was in Carolina, Kmet can have that type of production.
There is nothing wrong with having two stud tight ends in the NFL. Having at least one is essential, given the way that modern passing attacks operate these days. With a head coach who can scheme offense the way that Johnson does, having two is an incredible luxury. Hopefully, general manager Ryan Poles and his staff learned from the historical mistakes made by regimes before them.