84 days until Bears 2025 season: Can Colston Loveland be Chicago's top tight end?

Despite his lack of accolades, Kmet has proven to be one of the better tight ends in the NFL, which is why he was rewarded with a generous contract extension two years ago. When integrated into Chicago's game plan, he's been a first-down and a touchdown machine, and in 2024, he was marked down for just one drop for the entire season. But his stat sheet rarely shows this upside because Chicago's last few offensive coordinators have bizarrely frozen him out of their play calls.

Make no mistake: Kmet is a massive obstacle in Loveland's path to becoming Chicago's top tight end. With Ben Johnson, one of the most highly-regarded offensive minds in the NFL, now calling the plays and with Caleb Williams in Year 2, expect Kmet's numbers to take a big jump, especially early in the season when Loveland and the other rookies are still learning the ropes.

What does this mean for Loveland? He almost certainly will not live up to his full potential as a rookie. That doesn't mean he'll have a bad year, but I wouldn't draft him to be the starting tight end on your fantasy football team. If he's going to be Chicago's top tight end, it will likely have to be the result of a financial decision that will come after his rookie year.

After the 2025 season, Kmet's contract has no guaranteed money left on it . The Bears could release him next offseason and gain some salary cap relief, which will almost certainly be needed when they extend right tackle Darnell Wright in 2026.

That's not to say that the recently married Kmet and his new wife should begin listing their house for sale just yet. Loveland, who has yet to practice as he rehabs his injury, still needs to prove himself on the field. If his rookie season is a mixed bag, the Bears will be unlikely to turn the TE1 role over to him entirely. But there remains a clear opportunity for him to become the top tight end here; it's up to him to seize it.