CHICAGO -- The first two plays called by the Chicago Bears to kickstart a 38-0 shutout of the Buffalo Bills on Sunday called on Caleb Williams to lean on a position central to Ben Johnson's offense.
On the starters' first snap of the preseason, Williams rolled out to his right from under center and hit rookie tight end Colston Loveland for an 8-yard gain. The very next play, Williams dropped back in the shotgun and delivered a 29-yard strike over the middle to veteran tight end Cole Kmet.
It was the byproduct of play design that saw Williams utilize his top tight ends to get near midfield in two plays, and it was significant considering the roles Loveland and Kmet are expected to have in Chicago's offense.
"Caleb made a couple big-time throws, in my opinion, to keep that drive going," coach Ben Johnson said. "Some explosive plays there. It was good, good to see."
The explosives continued when Williams found Loveland again for an 18-yard gain before launching a 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus to cap off a seven-play, 92-yard drive.
When the Bears drafted Loveland with the No. 10 pick, there were questions about how the Michigan standout and Kmet, the sixth-year vet, would coexist in an offense that already had so many pass catchers. Given Johnson's penchant for utilizing multiple tight end sets -- his Lions' offense used 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 WRs, 2 TEs) at the third-highest rate in the NFL (32.2% of plays) last season -- what the Bears demonstrated in a limited sample size in preseason action is reflective of the type of firepower they have at their disposal.
"Each week you don't know if you're going to get base defense to nickel defense to (defend) 12 personnel," Johnson said earlier in training camp. "That's kind of the fun of the game, too. Calling the game is 'What is the defense going to be in and how can you go after them and attack them?'
"I think 12 gives you a lot of options, particularly when you have athletic tight ends that can still block. You can line up in 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WRs) sets and spread them out, or you can get condensed on down and play big-boy ball. That's why I think it's a challenge, this day and age, if you've got the guys to defend."
Loveland was the top tight end taken in the 2025 draft after finishing his Michigan career with 117 receptions for 1,466 yards. His 11 receiving touchdowns are tied for the second-most all time among Michigan tight ends.
His potential was immediately compared to the impact tight end Sam LaPorta had under Johnson in Detroit. As a rookie, LaPorta was targeted 120 times (89 catches, 889 yards) and turned in the second-most touchdowns ever by a rookie tight end (10). LaPorta was second on the Lions in receiving in 2023 and the team's third-leading receiver in 2024.
Throughout training camp, Loveland has lined up in-line, out wide and in the slot. During his junior season at Michigan, 43% of his routes came on intermediate routes, and early signs show that continuing in the NFL.
"That's a great thing about this offense," Loveland said. "You can be anywhere, receiver, tight end, running back. Being able to learn the whole offense and be put in positions maybe you weren't put in, that's a blessing for sure."
As the Bears trudged through 12 lengthy installs on offense, Loveland found ways to impress his quarterbacks early on as he quickly worked his way into reps with the first team.
"He's friendly to throw to," backup quarterback Case Keenum said. "He's got good body language. There's that non-verbal communication that lets the quarterback know that he knows where the ball is and should be and has good body position in relation to defenders.
"And then based on what route it is, knows when to be open in a lot of ways. From a big, tall guy like that, it's really nice to be able to go a lot of different personnels with him and Cole, both very friendly targets that I think defenses will have issues when they decide to go man, who to put the linebacker on, who to put a safety on."
Despite Williams having the fourth-highest QBR (93) and completion percentage (80%) when targeting tight ends in 2024, Kmet saw his lowest output (47 catches, 474 yards, 4 TDs) since his rookie season. In six games, five of which resulted in losses, Kmet was targeted one or fewer times.
Shortly after Loveland was drafted, the Bears gave assurances to Kmet regarding his importance and role in this scheme. The team's brass was adamant that both tight ends could not only coexist but thrive as weapons in the passing game. And the type of rapport the rookie and veteran have built since the spring -- especially as Loveland was sidelined until training camp while recovering from AC joint surgery -- impressed coaches.
"I've never seen a level of camaraderie and brotherhood before in a tight end room," tight ends coach Jim Dray said.
But in having to account for wide receivers Rome Odunze, DJ Moore, Zaccheaus and Luther Burden III, along with leaning on the run game, there probably will be a spike in production for one of Chicago's top tight ends while the other sees his receiving numbers level off. Behind LaPorta, Detroit's No. 2 tight end, Brock Wright, caught 13 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns in 2024.
As the Bears get closer to their Week 1 opener against the Minnesota Vikings, the roles for Loveland and Kmet will further take shape. Johnson's history as a playcaller suggests more moments like what the Bears' saw on their opening drive against the Bills, and finding ways to keep both tight ends involved frequently.
"Once we get into the games, we will be a lot more specific which plays are for who," Johnson said. "Or there might be plays where it really doesn't matter who is out there for those.
"I don't want to pigeonhole them and say, 'Colston is only good at this, or Cole is only good at that, or Durham (Smythe) is just this.' That's just not where we are at. We are still evaluating, and we have another call in a week and a half to two weeks to figure it out."
