When he took the head coaching job with the Chicago Bears, Ben Johnson wanted alignment with the general manager. The easiest way to summarize that was ensuring the two men were on the same page from a vision standpoint. Ryan Poles showed over the past three years that he was willing to accommodate head coach Matt Eberflus and the types of players he wanted. There is no reason to think it will be any different with Johnson. That begs the question.
What players in this upcoming class might be somebody the new Bears head coach pushes hard for? There are plenty of good talent at multiple positions of need. Johnson is almost certain to have a handful of names he’d love to coach. However, one jumped out as impossible to ignore after some research. That is Michigan tight end Coleston Loveland. This may seem unusual since tight end isn’t a huge need until you see the pro comparison for him.
Ben Johnson finding another Sam LaPorta would be perfect.
Remember, he was in Detroit when the Lions drafted the tight end out of Iowa. In two years, they amassed 1,645 yards and 17 touchdowns together. LaPorta went to the Pro Bowl as a rookie and became a key part of the Lions’ electric offense. Having that dimension in Chicago seems like a no-brainer for Ben Johnson. What many will want to know is whether Cole Kmet can fill that void. He’s always shown flashes of playmaking ability, but previous playcallers seem unable to get him more involved. With the exit of Gerald Everett, the Bears have a vacancy to fill at tight end. Adding Loveland in the 2nd round, presuming he’s still available, would be a loud and clear signal about Johnson’s intentions, both with Kmet and the offense in general.
Drafting him is possible. But if they draft him to replace, rather than complement, Kmet, it will be another indictment of Ryan Poles. Poles was the guy who decided to extend him. And if he can only fit in a Getsy / Waldron offense, or click with Justin Fields, that is a poor use of resources.
Hopefully, Coach Johnson can figure out how to re-introduce Kmet as part of the offense.
@Veece: With respect, one of the primary goals in the first wave of FA is to make sure that there’s no position the team HAS to draft early. If Mason Graham were to fall to 10, the Bears should grab him, even if DT isn’t the biggest need. And in an insane world where Abdul Carter falls to 10, the same applies. That said, the Bears have enough holes to fill so that drafting a TE when they have an above average one on the roster seems like a luxury pick. Personally, while I know that the production isn’t comparable,… Read more »
With 3 selections in first two rounds, the Bears need to draft OL, DL and either Safety or OT (if Brisker or Jones injuries still linger.) That doesn’t leave room for TE unless they trade back and add another pick. Even then, most would agree that RB or a fast WR would make more sense since big holes are there, too..
TE Gadsden is a tough matchup with his 4.5 speed, and could be available at 149.
FA signings will determine what Poles does on Draft Day. So this is nothing more than speculation.
I feel like someone here has been leading the charge for Tyler Warren and why he would make so much sense for the Bears at 10 🤔 Hmm, weird. The Bears are cutting weight and creating cap space, they’re going to spend in FA. I still think Drew Dalman should be the priority, young Center to grow with Caleb. After that, at least one starting OG if not two. Trey Smith? Sure, not opposed. Zeitler? No issue. Becton? Hell no. I initially didn’t see them paying big money for a DE2, but there’s potential for that if they’re ok with… Read more »
Poor sluggish Kmet, relegated to become mostly a blocker if not traded.