Colston Loveland, the tight end who was supposed to break out for the Chicago Bears in 2026, has put up a grand total of one reception for three yards on five targets through the first two weeks of the season. Yeah, you read that right. Talk about a disaster of a start for a guy everyone had high hopes for. But before you start yelling about “busts” and calling for a full-blown meltdown in the Windy City, pump the brakes: ESPN’s Courtney Cronin is telling everyone to take a deep breath. Turns out, this “lack of production is not something Bears fans should be any worried about.” Seriously.
Two Weeks of Weirdness for Loveland and the Bears
The Bears’ season kick-off has been absolutely wild. One week, they’re dropping a 59-point blowout win; the next, it’s a gut-wrenching three-point close loss. Talk about a roller coaster! But through all that chaos, one thing’s been super consistent: Loveland’s absolutely lackluster production. Or, let’s be real, the total *lack thereof*. You’d think a guy with that kind of stat line would be glued to the bench, right? Nope. Cronin notes Loveland has been on the field for a whopping 87% of offensive plays and run routes on 83% of his snaps. That’s a huge commitment, which kinda proves the coaches aren’t panicking either. Dude’s getting opportunities; he’s just not getting the ball. Yet.
Why Chicago Fans Can Keep Their Cool
So, if he’s playing that much but not producing, what’s the deal? Cronin offers a few solid reasons why this isn’t a red alert situation. First, defenses might just be playing him differently this year, totally shutting down his lanes. Second, maybe Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III haven’t quite established themselves enough to demand attention away from Loveland, which means more eyes on him. But the biggest factor? The game scripts for the first two weeks were straight-up bizarre. Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers, the run game was absolutely cooking, and Caleb Williams was scrambling all over the place. Passing just wasn’t a major need for them to dominate. Then Week 2 hits, and it’s a total mess: sloppy conditions, poor weather, up against one of the toughest defenses in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. And just to top it off, Williams gets hurt and misses a chunk of that game. You really gonna blame a tight end’s stats when the offense is dealing with all that? No way.
Looking Ahead to a Turnaround?
Okay, so it’s not all sunshine and rainbows right now. Week 3 looks like it could be another rough one for Loveland, with a tough Philadelphia Eagles defense looming and Case Keenum likely starting at quarterback for Chicago. That’s a brutal setup. But hey, this is early season stuff. Cronin is confident that once things normalize in Week 4, there’s “plenty of reason to have confidence in Loveland turning things around” for the Bears. It’s a worrying start, sure, but it’s an “early-season blip on the radar, not a sign of things to come.” Bears fans, keep your cool. It’s way too soon to hit the panic button on this guy.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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