Colston Loveland’s stat line through two weeks looks strange on its face: one catch, three yards, and a whole lot of questions. For a player who was expected to be a central piece of the Chicago Bears’ offense, that’s not the kind of start anyone penciled in. But the early numbers don’t tell the whole story, and the way Chicago has used him says plenty about why the production hasn’t shown up yet.
The biggest issue is that Loveland simply hasn’t been getting the same kind of separation he did a year ago. In 2025, he averaged 3.7 yards of separation; in Weeks 1 and 2, that number dropped to 2.1.
Defenses had all offseason to prepare for him, and it looks like they came in ready to smother him early. Even when he does shake loose, Caleb Williams hasn’t always been able to get him the ball.
Against the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings, there were plenty of snaps where Loveland found space but Williams was already committed elsewhere, scrambling, or dealing with pressure.
That pressure piece matters, especially against Minnesota. Loveland was used much more as a blocker in Week 2 than usual, taking on one of the biggest pass-blocking loads of his career.
PFF said his pass-blocking rate that game was higher than at any point in the second half of last season. That lines up with the opponent: Brian Flores’ defense has been blitzing at a ridiculous clip, sending extra rushers on 75.3% of pass plays through its first two games.
The next-closest defense? Just 46.6%.
Chicago answered by keeping Loveland in to help protect.
The final play of the game was the clearest example of that choice backfiring. Needing a touchdown from the 12-yard line, the Bears kept their star tight end in pass protection instead of sending him into the end zone.
That not only removed a big-bodied target from the route, it also ended with Loveland’s assignment coming through for a sack of Tyson Bagent. It was a rough way to finish a game in which Loveland was already quiet.
Still, that Week 2 usage probably says more about the matchup than Loveland’s role going forward. The Bears leaned on him more as a receiver in Week 1, when he ran a team-high 33 routes against the Panthers.
He didn’t catch a pass, but Chicago clearly wanted him involved downfield. Through two games, he still leads the Bears in routes run with 61.
Here’s how the team’s route totals stack up so far:
Colston Loveland, 61
Rome Odunze, 57
Luther Burden III, 55
Kalif Raymond, 53
Cole Kmet, 32
That’s why the early numbers feel so jarring. Loveland has five targets, which ranks 31st among tight ends, and he’s sitting 76th at the position in receiving yards despite Chicago putting up 59 points in the opener. For a player who finished last season with 28 catches, 378 yards and two touchdowns over the final four games, this looks more like a speed bump than a verdict.
Two games is still a tiny sample. Loveland’s rookie year showed what he can do when the offense gets rolling, and his usage suggests the Bears haven’t forgotten what he can bring as a pass catcher.
For now, the production hasn’t arrived. But the opportunities are still there.
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