The Chicago Bears have undergone quite a bit of change this offseason after their miserable 2024 season. Perhaps one of the more surprising moves took place when they selected star Michigan Wolverines tight end Colston Loveland with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Not only does the team already have Cole Kmet at their disposal, but they also passed over Penn State Nittany Lions stud Tyler Warren in the process.
While there’s no doubt that Loveland should become an immediate contributor on offense for Chicago, he will have to compete with Kmet for snaps. It’s certainly not a position Kmet was expecting to be in considering he’s in the third year of his four-year, $50 million contract, and he recently weighed in on the team’s decision to use their first-round pick to select another tight end.
Cole Kmet Addresses Bears Selection of Colston Loveland
Kmet was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft, and while he hasn’t necessarily turned himself into a superstar pass catcher, he has become one of the top red zone threats in the league at tight end. Kmet has hauled in 17 touchdowns over the past three seasons, and he has not missed a single game over his first five seasons in the league.
Loveland, on the other hand, was Michigan’s most consistent pass catcher over the past few seasons in their heavy-run offense. In 2024, Loveland caught 56 passes for 582 yards and five touchdowns. He also helped the Wolverines with a National Championship in 2023, proving that he’s got the big-game pedigree Chicago is looking to add to their roster.
In 2024, Kmet struggled to consistently find a way to stand out in the Bears crowded offense, catching 47 passes for 474 yards and four touchdowns. With his contract nearing its end, Chicago could conceivably be planning for life without Kmet. When asked about Loveland’s arrival, Kmet admitted he was initially quite surprised, but he believes there’s room for both of them to thrive in the Bears new-look offense.
“At first, you’re a little taken aback,” Kmet said of the Bears’ decision to draft Loveland. “From there, you’re all on board on it and kind of understand their vision. You understand that there’s going to be areas where we complement each other, and obviously, just like [in] any position room, there’s going to be areas [where] we compete for things. That’s football, and that’s how it should be.”
Bears Hoping Cole Kmet, Colston Loveland Will Thrive in 2025
GettyBears tight end Cole Kmet.
Chicago has weapons all over offense beyond Kmet and Loveland. D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson lead the running back room, while D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, and rookie Luther Burden III lead the wide receiver room. With the offensive-minded Ben Johnson taking over at head coach, the pieces are in place for Caleb Williams and the Bears offense to take a step forward in 2025.
The addition of Loveland signals that Kmet’s time with the Bears could be coming to an end soon. But for now, the two are tasked with working together to help out Williams under center. And if all goes according to plan, Chicago could be a sneaky playoff contender after winning just five games last season.
