When the Chicago Bears were on the clock in the 2025 NFL Draft, they made a shocking selection with the 10th overall pick. Despite Tyler Warren, the prohibitive TE1 prospect coming into the draft, still on the board, they decided to go in a different direction and pick Colston Loveland out of Michigan. Unfairly or not, it has tied the two tight ends together and set them up for constant comparison.
So far, though, the gamble from Chicago isn’t paying dividends. Where Warren has looked like one of the best tight ends in the league from Day 1, Loveland, alongside the rest of the Bears, has gotten off to a slow start. With a chance to boost his numbers and flip the narrative in Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders, there is some uncertainty about the first-round pick being available for the matchup.
Will Colston Loveland Play Against the Las Vegas Raiders?
Loveland’s resume wasn’t by any means unimpressive. An All-American and a college football playoffs national champion, he made solid contributions for the Wolverines, with back-to-back seasons in which he tallied over 500 yards through the air.
However, his integration into the NFL has been a slow process. Starting with just 12 yards on two receptions in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, Loveland was targeted just once in his second career outing against the Detroit Lions.
His best game came last week, where he hauled in just one reception off of three targets, but added 31 receiving yards to the tally. The hope in Chicago has to be that he can continue on that trajectory and improve those numbers significantly.
Given the roster personnel, the Raiders, who rank 20th on PFSN’s Defense Impact, do not seem to have a strong defense. As a result, a Bears offense that currently sits at 12 on PFSN’s Offense Impact could be in for a big game.
However, Loveland may not be available for the encounter. He has been plagued by an issue throughout the week after exiting the game against Dallas early with a hip injury.
As a result, the latest out of Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network suggests he could be a game-time decision on Sunday. As Pelissero reported on X, “#Bears D’Andre Swift (hip), TE Colston Loveland (hip), and CB Kyler Gordon (hamstring) are all listed as questionable for Sunday.”
The game against Las Vegas offers Loveland a great chance to steady the ship and close the gap with Warren. Despite the Indianapolis Colts’ tight end getting off to a hot start early, there is still ample time for Chicago’s draft pick to establish his supremacy.
