Why Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet Can Both Eat in Ben Johnson’s Offense

With the selection of Michigan Wolverines tight end Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles made a decision that at first glance looked like a not-so-subtle acknowledgement that Cole Kmet wasn’t in the team’s future plans.

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Sure, Kmet is the incumbent starter and is under contract through the 2027 season, but you don’t take someone in the top ten of the NFL Draft if you don’t plan on having him around for the next decade. Even if it doesn’t happen by Week 1, in time, Colston Loveland will be listed as TE1 on Chicago’s depth chart. But regardless of if and when Loveland eventually assumes that spot, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Kmet won’t have a very important role in Ben Johnson’s offense.

Saying that two tight end sets are a Ben Johnson staple would be a slight misrepresentation, but expecting that the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator won’t dabble with sets that feature both Kmet and Loveland would be an equally big mistake.

In 2024, Detroit was one of the league leaders in personnel groupings that included either two or three tight ends on the field, using those sets on 35 percent of their offensive snaps, which was the 3rd-highest mark in the NFL. However, according to Ben Johnson himself, he likes to adapt his offensive approach to his personnel rather than doing things the other way around.

There’s no doubt that Loveland possesses a higher ceiling than Kmet does. Loveland has qualities to eventually mature into one of the NFL’s most skilled pass-catching tight ends. Kmet will never reach those heights, but he’s a fantastic locker room guy, an Illinois kid, and above everything else, a really solid all-around tight end.

It helps too that he hasn’t shown any signs of resenting the fact that the Bears drafted his likely successor only five years into his playing career.

Cole Kmet Sees The Upside of Playing With Colston Loveland

Even though his pass-catching numbers dipped in 2024, it’s not difficult to make the case that Cole Kmet actually had his best NFL season last year. His catch rate spiked to a career-best 85.8% and he finished the season with just one drop all season. Additionally, Kmet flashed improvement as a blocker, which will be key since Ben Johnson has never been afraid to pound the rock.

Given their complimentary skillsets, it’s quite easy to envision Kmet and Loveland sharing the field together. And even though Kmet has since admitted he was surprised by Chicago’s decision to take Loveland, he’s now clearly come around on the idea.

“I think there’s naturally areas where we’re going to compete with one another just because we’re in the same position and we’re both pass catchers,” Kmet said after practice on July 27. “There’s aspects of practice that’s competition and then there’s aspects where I think that we’re going to be able to complement each other’s game really well. I’m looking forward to see how that pans out.”

In June, Loveland shed light on how helpful Kmet had been in getting him acclimated to life in the National Football League.

“Cole, that’s a vet right there,” Loveland said, per Alyssa Barbieri of Bears Wire. “[He] does everything the right way. Really good at football; really good mentally, really good physically. He’s a great guy to look up to, and he’s been very [helpful] … If I run a route or do something, he’ll tell me some things, how he sees it, some coverage things, or whatever it may be. He’s been super helpful and I’m very appreciative.”

Everyone in Chicago will be appreciative, too, if Ben Johnson actually manages to utilize both of these young and talented pass-catchers this season.