The Bears have received high praise from NFL analysts over first-round draft pick Colston Loveland from the University of Michigan. With the Bears adding Loveland, Luther Burden III and Kyle Monangai in the NFL draft, the offense looks to provide fireworks under first-year head coach Ben Johnson.

The addition of Loveland has raised questions as to how Johnson will utilize the rookie tight end alongside six-year veteran Cole Kmet.

During the premiere episode of “The Chicago Football Show“, former Bears coach Dave Wannstedt joined the show and believes that Loveland “checks all the boxes” for the Bears offense.

“I like Colston [Loveland] because I’ve always been a guy to draft players that I can see a longevity of success,” Wannstedt said. “I go back to his freshman year, and I don’t care who you are, if you show up as a freshman, at Michigan, and you line up and you play as a freshman for Jim Harbaugh, in a pro-style offense, you are talented and you are tough … I check that box because of that.”

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As the Bears hope to bring the offensive firepower back to the Windy City, both tight ends are looking to have a resurgence.

Kmet finished the 2024 season with 47 catches, 474 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games. He’ll be looking to have a better season with the help of Johnson and a new regime to provide a boost to the tight end position.

In three seasons at the University of Michigan, Loveland played in 39 games, catching 117 passes for 1,466 yards and 11 touchdowns. His best season came in 2023 when the Wolverines won the National Championship and he finished with 45 catches for 649 yards and four touchdowns.

Loveland appeared in 10 games last season while battling through an AC joint injury. Now, he’s fully healthy and ready to go for his rookie season in Chicago.

How Ben Johnson and offensive coordinator Declan Coyle deploy these two tight ends will be fascinating to watch as they get ready for 2025.