Feb. 28, 2026, 12:29 p.m. CT
Rookie tight end Colston Loveland is ranked as the fifth most impactful Chicago Bear of the 2025 season.Loveland led the team with 58 receptions and 713 receiving yards in his first year.Loveland is expected to have an expanded role in the offense during the 2026 season.
The Chicago Bears concluded their 2025 season, where they finished with an 11-6 record, an NFC North title and their first playoff win in 15 years under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. And there’s no denying that the future is incredibly bright.
Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be counting down our 15 Most Impactful Bears from the 2025 season, which features plenty of young talent that made huge contributions in Chicago’s magical season. We’ll recap their 2025 season and look ahead to how they factor into 2026. There were plenty of top talent to highlight this season, which made for difficult decisions when narrowing the field to just 15 players and/or coaches.
We continue at No. 5 with tight end Colston Loveland, who had an impressive rookie season as Chicago’s top draft pick and is poised to become a superstar in the NFL.
The BasicsPosition:Â Tight endAge:Â 21Experience:Â 1st season2025 cap hit:Â $4.84 millionNeed a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
When the Bears selected Colston Loveland with the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, there were some questions about the decision. But Loveland easily put those to bed with an impressive rookie season. While it took some time to get Colston Loveland involved in the passing game, once the Bears did, he was electric. Loveland showed exactly why he was coveted by Ben Johnson with his receiver-like separation and pass catching ability. Loveland led the team in receptions (58) and receiving yards (713), and he really didn’t even get going until midway through the 2025 season. In the final 12 games of the season (including two postseason contests), he caught 59 passes for 790 yards and six touchdowns. Loveland’s biggest game came against the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card playoffs, where he dominated that defense to the tune of eight catches for 137 yards and a two-point conversion, including some crucial receptions to help lead Chicago to a comeback win. Loveland led the Bears’ rookie class across the board. He played the most snaps (818), led the team in WAR (0.514), led the team in PFF grade (85.3) and also ranked first among all rookie tight ends (85.3).
2026 outlook
It’s clear that Loveland has the potential to be a superstar in the NFL, and that’s just in one year with Ben Johnson. While it took Loveland time to get involved in the passing game as a rookie, there’s little doubt that he’ll be a top pass-catching target for quarterback Caleb Williams, especially after his performance in key moments down the line. There’s been speculation about Cole Kmet’s future in Chicago, but general manager Ryan Poles made it clear he’s likely to be back, which makes sense in this Johnson offense given his penchant for 12 personnel. But make no mistake, Loveland will be the primary receiving target among the tight ends, and his role is expected to expand in Year 2. Loveland managed to stand out amid an array of weapons, and he led the Bears in receptions, receiving yards and tied for the most receiving touchdowns. Now, imagine what he can accomplish with a full offseason under his belt and Johnson continuing to unlock his playmaking ability.
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