The Chicago Bears surprised several people when they took Colston Loveland with the 10th overall pick. It marked only the third time in franchise history they’d taken a tight end in the 1st round. Their reasoning for the decision normally came in two parts. First was the style of player Loveland is. Where Cole Kmet is more the traditional type with a big, strong body and is at his best as a blocker, the rookie is more the new-wave type with fluid route-running skills and pass-catching prowess. The other part was that head coach Ben Johnson saw the Michigan standout as a future star.
Nothing wrong with that.
However, remember that Johnson has a scientific brain and is always looking to stay on the cutting edge of NFL offense. That means recognizing league trends and where they might be going. Insider Benjamin Allbright revealed this was some of the motivation behind the Loveland pick and the hot tight end market in general. Teams recognize NFL defenses have gotten smaller to get faster. That comes with a price. They’re not as capable of handling size and power. The two-tight end offense, or “12” personnel, is known for that.
Colston Loveland puts the Bears in rare company.
Most NFL offenses have one decent-to-good tight end. Most don’t have two. Those that did tended to be really good. San Francisco had Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker in 2012. The 49ers had the 4th-best rushing attack and reached the Super Bowl. New England had Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez in 2010. The Patriots had the #9 rushing offense and reached the Super Bowl. Philadelphia had Zach Ertz and Trey Burton in 2017. The Eagles were 3rd in rushing and won the Super Bowl. The pattern is pretty clear. Having two quality tight ends greatly benefits the offense, especially on the ground. Johnson had a rare opportunity to jump on that trend with Colston Loveland and took it. Don’t be surprised if the Bears are much better running the football this season.
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