Loveland, Upgraded Line Give Bears A Versatile Offense

Cole Kmet preceded Ryan Poles to Halas Hall but the Bears’ general manager was so impressed by Kmet during the 2022 season he signed him to a five-year contract extension.

You wouldn’t think the Bears would use a first-round pick to draft a second tight end only two seasons later. Yet they did exactly that in April, a few months after hiring former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their head coach.

Poles used the 10th pick overall on Colston Loveland from the University of Michigan, giving Johnson a pass-catcher who reminds him of Sam LaPorta, who compiled 889 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as a Lions rookie.

Immediately fans and media members speculated the Bears will be in 12 formation a lot this season, using both Loveland and Kmet on the same play.

That could be. There certainly be times that happens. But don’t be surprised if Johnson and second-year quarterback Caleb Williams get the offense rolling while using traditional 11 formation — one tight end, two wide receivers and a slot receiver — as its most effective means of attacking defenses.

Pro Football Focus believes the Bears are set up for success playing either Kmet or Loveland, but not both. Writer Dalton Wasserman points out Johnson used 11 personnel slightly less than most teams during his three years as offensive coordinator but that the Lions were “nearly unstoppable” when he did.

PFF, founded in 2006 and purchased by Cris Collinsworth in 2014, has proprietary metrics like those the NFL franchises use. Its calculations show the Lions were the highest graded team when in 11 personnel, ranking second in both yards per play and EPA (expected points added).

The key to that success, writes Wasserman, was run blocking. Detroit had a 79.9 PFF run-blocking grade while in 11 personnel in 2022-24, tying for the league lead. While Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery amassed yardage, they were hitting holes opened by one of the NFL’s best offensive lines.

When the Bears overhauled their offensive line in the off-season, it was easy to understand the need for change. Williams was sacked 68 times as a rookie. But beneath that was a second failing: the Bears ranked 25th in PFF run-blocking grade from 11 personnel.

Poles has invested $145.5 million to import center Drew Dalman and guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson for the middle of a line that also includes highly regarded tackles Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones. Johnson says a lineman’s primary function is to “pass protect,” but running back D’Andre Swift could benefit as much from the upgrade in the line as Williams.

Dalman, who graded out as the fourth best center last season, was a key to Atlanta featuring running back Bijan Robinson the last two seasons. He is one of the best outside-zone blockers in the NFL.

While Swift moved from Detroit to Philadelphia in 2023 and then Chicago in ’24, his stock as a top running back suffered. He carried for 959 yards and six touchdowns last season. But with the Lions’ line and Johnson’s play-calling, he had his best season in 2022.

Swift was a secondary rusher behind Jamaal Williams, giving Detroit 542 yards and five rushing touchdowns that season. But he finished with 5.5 yards per carry, including 3.1 after contact, and an 83.2 PFF rushing grade.

The Bears have focused their last three off-seasons on acquiring playmakers on offense, and that accumulation of talent seems set to click. Their stable of wide receivers includes veteran DJ Moore, who has averaged 1,076 yards iover seven seasons; Rome Odunze, a first-round pick last season who had 1640 receiving yards for Washington in 2023, and Luther Burden III, who they took in the second round this year after he averaged 11.8 yards per catch in three seasons at Missouri.

While Kmet was the No. 2 target for Justin Fields in 2023, he is more of a possession-type receiver, moving the chains. Loveland and Burden should make the passing game more dynamic while making it tougher for defenses to focus on stopping Moore and Odunze.

Loveland showed the ability to stretch the field while at Michigan, averaging 12.5 yards per catch. The Bears haven’t yet seen him on the field, however, as continues to recover from surgery on his right shoulder in January. Johnson recently said he should be cleared “at some point” in camp, putting him on target for the Sept. 8 opener.

Loveland, like LaPorta, figures to sometimes line up outside, both from 11 and 12 formations. He received a 95.8 PFF receiving grade as an in-line tight end last season at Michigan, as well as a 91.3 PFF grade from the slot.

Burden was one of college football’s most dynamic slot receivers the last two years. His 89.3 receiving grade from PFF ranked sixth among slot receivers with at least 40 targets the last two seasons.

The Bears are set up for major improvement, no matter how Johnson uses his two tight ends. But don’t overlook the running game, with defenses geared to contain the passing game and Swift becoming more of a weapon behind an upgraded line.