The Chicago Bears had arguably one of the better drafts in the NFL, though injury issues could delay evidence of that in either direction for awhile.
Chicago selected tight end Colston Loveland out of Michigan with the No. 10 overall pick in the first round despite a shoulder injury that plagued him during his final campaign in college.
Loveland suffered the injury in September 2024 but played through it for several games, tallying 56 receptions for 582 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Loveland said last week his shoulder is back to full strength after surgery to repair his damaged AC joint, but he didn’t confirm that he’d be ready to go for training camp, which opened for rookies and quarterbacks on Saturday, July 19. Loveland has missed all team activities up to this point due to his injury status.
Camron Smith and David Haugh of CHSN discussed Loveland’s issue on July 15, and neither was terribly optimistic about the situation as it currently stands.
“[My concern is] growing because until he’s on the field, he’s not. And I think availability is the biggest concern right now,” Haugh said. “I’ve got the guy, [if] healthy, catching 70 passes and being the second or third option in this Ben Johnson offense. There’s gonna be questions until he removes the doubt, and the only way he can do that is get on the field during practice and camp.”
“My concern with Loveland is with the injury, will it be recurring?” Smith added. “Is that a concern for you moving forward?”
“I think until he removes those doubts, all those things are valid concerns,” Haugh replied. “And I think that’s the biggest question looming over Bears training camp.”
Bears Offense Has Big Plans for Tight End Colston Loveland
GettyChicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland.
Ben Solak of ESPN voiced similar concerns for Loveland’s health and its potential impact on Chicago’s offense on July 16, though he was equally optimistic about what the rookie tight end can accomplish if he gets healthy.
Loveland is doing well to stay engaged in walkthroughs and meetings. But it’s tough for rookies to hit the ground running when they miss time during their first offseason. He needs reps on the field.
His status for training camp is still uncertain, as Johnson said Loveland will be cleared “at some point” during camp. With such significant draft capital spent on the tight end, it’s reasonable to expect that Johnson plans to feature Loveland in the offense.
Expect to see plenty of 12 personnel sets — and even Loveland on the field instead of [Cole] Kmet in 11 personnel — once Loveland proves he’s ready for NFL action during padded practices.
Wide Receiver Luther Burden III Battled Soft Tissue Injury Through Much of Preseason
GettyChicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III.
Also dealing with an injury this offseason was Chicago’s second overall pick, wide receiver Luther Burden III. The Bears acquired him out of Missouri with the No. 39 overall selection in Round 2, and several analysts have suggested Burden could prove the steal of the entire draft.
Chicago inked Burden to a four-year, $11 million deal on Friday after the two sides settled negotiations with regards to guaranteed money. The slot receiver, who is likely to start alongside DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, ended up with a fully-guaranteed contract.
Burden missed much of the offseason with an unspecified soft tissue injury, though he appears to be good to go for camp as long as there is no recurrence.
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