The Chicago Bears might have hit big with not one, but two pass-catchers in the 2025 NFL draft, in which they selected tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III in Rounds 1 and 2, respectively.
Head coach Ben Johnson has raved about Burden on multiple occasions, most recently during a media session this week. However, it is Loveland whom Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus projected on Thursday, May 28 to challenge for an All-Pro selection in the upcoming campaign.
The Bears’ offense exploded last season, placing ninth in success rate during Ben Johnson’s first year. A significant part of that improved efficiency was Loveland, who looked unstoppable late in the season. Indeed, Loveland’s 86.9 PFF receiving grade was the second-best among qualified tight ends from Week 9 onward, as were his 34 first downs gained.
On an offense full of young — and somewhat unproven — playmakers, Chicago will assuredly continue to funnel the ball through the game-changing Loveland this season. With Travis Kelce declining of late and George Kittle’s status uncertain after suffering a torn Achilles in the playoffs, Loveland should be firmly in the All-Pro mix alongside Trey McBride and Brock Bowers.
Colston Loveland Headlines Deep, Talented Tight End Room for Bears
GettyChicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland.
Loveland, the No. 10 overall pick in 2025, finished last season with 58 catches for 713 yards and six scores.
He is entering just the second year of his $26.6 million rookie deal, which runs through 2028 and includes a fifth-year team option for 2029.
Loveland will certainly be the featured pass-catcher in the tight end room, though the position group is stacked heading into 2026. Cole Kmet remains behind Lovleand as TE2, while Johnson spent an early third-round pick on Sam Roush out of Stanford.
Roush is a more traditional inline tight end with a reputation as a good blocker. The Bears offense was top-five last season in both two-TE sets (12 personnel) and three-TE sets (13 personnel). The structures add extra blockers on run plays and create run/pass friction and confusion for opposing defenses.
Chicago’s decision to keep Kmet and invest a significant draft asset in Roush this offseason is tantamount to Johnson tipping his hand that even more multiple-TE sets are coming next year.
Luther Burden III Poised for Monster Season Alongside Colston Loveland in Chicago
GettyChicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III.
While Loveland was the de facto No. 1 option in the Bears’ passing game down the stretch of last season, it was Burden who dominated the pass-catching group in terms of advanced metrics.
NFL analyst Warren Sharp laid out the statistics in an X post on March 5.
“Luther Burden’s stats last year among Bears WRs/TEs:
- +0.52 EPA/target (#1)
- 56% success (#1)
- 10.9 yds/target (#1)
- 7.2 YAC/reception (#1)
- 86% accurate target catch rate (#1)
- 78% overall catch rate (#1)
- 25% target/route (#1)
“He ranked #1 on the Bears in EVERY. SINGLE. METRIC,” Sharp wrote.
Johnson was effusive in his praise of Burden while speaking with media members about the second-year wideout.
“I’m buying Luther Burden stock right now,” Johnson said on Thursday. “Just how he’s approached his offseason, it’s been electric. He showed up yesterday, and he had numerous explosive plays. … So he’s in a really good spot.”
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