The Chicago Bears received loads of praise for drafting former Michigan tight end Colston Loveland at No. 10 overall in this year’s draft, but it’ll be a bit before the rookie is ready for contact.
The 6-foot-6, 248-pound Loveland brings a ton of hype with him, as he’s an exciting player who oozes athleticism and versatility. His collegiate career at Michigan was stellar, culminating in a standout 2024 season where he led the Wolverines with 56 catches for 582 yards and five touchdowns, despite playing through a significant shoulder injury.
In Michigan’s Week 3 matchup against Arkansas State, he suffered a Type V AC joint dislocation in his right shoulder—a serious injury typically requiring surgery and a recovery period of 4-6 months. Remarkably, he missed just three games despite the injury and continued to be a key contributor for Michigan.
After showing incredible resilience by finishing the season, Loveland underwent successful surgery on January 29, 2025, performed by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Dr. ElAttrache sent out a letter to all 32 NFL teams stating that Loveland’s recovery was progressing well, with expectations for him to participate in non-contact workouts during minicamp and be fully cleared for contact by training camp.
According to Johnson, the Bears are going to take it slow.
Ben Johnson Issues Statement, Gives Update on Colston Loveland Injury
Here’s what Johnson had to say about the rookie TE’s injury and recovery process (h/t Luis Medina of Bleacher Nation Bears):
It’s a matter of meeting, watching the tape, walking through. Particularly with a guy like Colston right now who’s a little dinged up still, so we’re rehabbing him. That’s a priority for us, getting him back healthy. Because the sooner he gets back healthy, then we get the full-speed reps and that’s where it all comes together. So it’s more mental and we’re going to take full opportunity of the time we have with him over the next six weeks in terms of getting him up to speed with not only what the veterans know mentally but how much can we walk through with him on the side to speed up the learning process.
Loveland’s performance, even while injured, didn’t go unnoticed. He was named a second-team All-American and a finalist for the John Mackey Award, given to the nation’s top tight end. His toughness and consistent production have drawn comparisons to Detroit Lions’ tight end Sam LaPorta, which is notable considering Johnson’s previous role working with LaPorta while serving as the Lions’ offensive coordinator.
Loveland Is Expected to Be Key Cog in Bears Offense
Colston Loveland said he is using rookie minicamp to get “mental reps” as he rehabs his shoulder:
Looking ahead, Loveland is expected to be a huge component of the Bears’ offense for years to come.
His ability to create mismatches in the slot and contribute as a run blocker aligns well with what Johnson does. Essentially, he can line up anywhere. While he may need to adapt to the physicality of the NFL and continue developing as a blocker, his route-running is as polished as it gets for a rookie.
That, coupled with his very large catch radius make him a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses and a versatile new target for quarterback Caleb Williams. With his anticipated full recovery by training camp, Loveland has been taking “mental reps” in the meantime.
