After an encouraging first season, Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland is gaining elite chemistry with Caleb Williams. Discover why Williams believes Loveland can become the best tight end in the league.
Caleb Williams has no shortage of confidence in Colston Loveland.
“He can become the best tight end in the league," Williams said. "I think he is. But stats and us going out there and proving it is what it is going to take, and to be able to do that we’ve got to put in work, we’ve got to build a connection, hang out inside and outside the building, have tough conversations or have open communication throughout the year and throughout camp. So its going to be exciting, it’s going to be fun. He’s a target to throw to and I’ve got a bunch of those guys out there that are equipped and ready to go.”
In Year 1 of head coach Ben Johnson's offense, the Bears' tight end led the team with his 58 receptions, 713 yards and six touchdown receptions. His 193 receiving yards against the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs was the most by a rookie tight end in NFL history.
Loveland presents problems for opposing defenses. At 6-foot-6, 241-pounds, he's bigger than most players in the secondary, making it a difficult matchup for safeties. He also runs routes like a receiver and has the speed to run away from most linebackers.
Loveland's ceiling is as high as head coach Ben Johnson's playbook, and that's a deep well of innovation.
“He can do everything," Williams said. "He can run every route. There’s been times, I think in Cincy we had him on a post route, we came back out there after we ended up winning that game, and came back and was like, ‘If you ever see that, with a guy out there,’ he wants to not believe in that. Put it up there and give him a shot. He’s such a big target, easy target, runs thew right routes and nice routes, and then other than that he can run block and disguise things. He’s an all-encompassing tight end.”
In ESPN's positional ranking series, Loveland landed as the No. 7 tight end in the league.
"He's unbelievable," an NFL coordinator said, via ESPN. "A smooth mover with toughness."
As Williams and Loveland continue to learn the nuances of Johnson's offense, the chemistry will naturally grow. That process is accelerated by Johnson pushing Williams to elevate his pre-snap coverage recognition, giving the 24-year-old quarterback full autonomy at the line of scrimmage.
With a playmaker like Loveland, an audible can happen at any moment. This quarterback-tight end duo is primed to build off a promising first year and evolve into one of the league's top connections this season.
