The Bears have reason to feel better about their offense with Caleb Williams back in the mix, but one problem keeps sticking out: Colston Loveland has not come close to matching the kind of impact Chicago expected from him.
That’s a jarring development when you think back to the end of last season. Loveland was turning in huge performances on the biggest stage, and there was a real case to be made that, once the playoffs arrived, he became Williams’ most trusted target. Five games into the 2026 season, though, the production line looks nothing like that version of him: 110 receiving yards, no touchdowns, and 23 targets.
Even with Williams starting two games this year, Loveland has barely made a mark. Across those two starts, the second-year pass catcher has totaled just three yards on five combined targets. That’s a hard number to ignore.
The bigger issue is that there doesn’t seem to be a clean explanation for it. Loveland still looks like the explosive weapon fans expected to see more regularly, but the usage and results just haven’t followed. And while the sample is still small, the disconnect is enough to raise eyebrows.
It’s not as if the Bears’ passing game has gone quiet across the board. Luther Burden and Rome Odunze have stayed involved and continued to draw targets, whether the quarterback situation has shifted or the offense has leaned more heavily on the run. That only makes Loveland’s limited role stand out more.
Rookie Zavion Thomas has even built an argument for a more steady weekly impact, thanks to what he’s done on special teams and with speed out of the backfield. That adds another layer to how frustrating Loveland’s slow start has been.
The encouraging part for Chicago is that nothing about Loveland suggests the talent has disappeared. He’s not an aging player, and this isn’t about a system change wiping out what made him dangerous. The traits that made him a building block are still there.
Still, the early returns are impossible to brush aside. The Bears can hope Loveland’s role and production climb from here, but right now he sits among the clearest concerns on an offense that expected much more from him.
In Other News...
Khalil Mack Buzz Has Bears Fans Watching One Reunion Closely
Former Bears running back David Montgomery is dealing with a groin injury after a rough start to the season in Houston, and he is just one of several ex-Chicago players whose new situations have not exactly gone as planned. Darnell Mooney, Olamide Zaccheaus and Reddy Steward are also having trouble carving out meaningful roles with their teams, which has only added to the sense that the Bears old roster has produced more questions than clean success stories.
Khalil Mack is the name Bears fans are watching most closely, though, because the idea of a reunion keeps hanging in the air. The Chargers pass rusher remains at the center of trade speculation, and Chicago would make sense as a destination if things moved that direction. The talk around him has only grown louder as people around the league continue to size up what a return might cost. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Johnson Has To Answer For One Bears Decision Against Green Bay
The Bears 31-7 loss to the Packers left plenty to sort through, and one of the biggest questions landed squarely on Ben Johnsons decision-making. Chicago entered the game at 3-2, trying to keep momentum after winning two games without Caleb Williams, but the offense never found a rhythm in Green Bay and the setup at quarterback became a major talking point.
Johnson chose Tyson Bagent over veteran Case Keenum to start, then stuck with Bagent long enough for the criticism to build as the game slipped away. It was a management call that stood out in a blowout loss, especially for a coach whose approach had already been under the microscope, and it now hangs over the Bears as they try to move past a flat showing against their rival. [Read more 🡒]
Kyler Gordons Return Could Force A Bears Secondary Shakeup
The Bears opened Kyler Gordons 21-day return window on Sept. 23, putting the slot cornerback on a short path back after his absence and giving Chicago a deadline to make a roster call by Oct. 15. Ben Johnson said Gordon is mentally ready, though the team is still working through the physical side of his comeback, and the expectation around Halas Hall is that hell be back in the mix soon.
Gordons return matters because the Bears view him as a key piece in the slot, where his presence can change how the secondary is arranged. When he is cleared, Chicago may need to make a corresponding roster move to fit him back in, and Clark Phillips looks like the name most likely to be squeezed out once the Bears finalize the decision. [Read more 🡒]