NFL Exec Says Bears' Colston Loveland 'will Be Better Than Sam LaPorta' for HC Johnson

One NFL executive believes that Chicago Bears rookie tight end Colston Loveland will be better than Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta, per remarks made to Mike Sando of The Athletic.

'Loveland is going to catch a million balls,” the executive told Sando. “He will be better than (Sam) LaPorta. He is such a good receiver, and he’s bigger — two inches taller and another 10 pounds. They will have an 11 personnel package with Burden in the slot and the 12 package when Burden is off the field with Loveland and Kmet on the field. They are set up pretty well.”

The Bears are now coached by former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who just worked with LaPorta for his first two NFL seasons after being drafted out of Iowa in 2023. LaPorta caught 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023 before adding a 60/726/7 stat line in 2024.

That's impressive production for a tight end, making the NFL executive's comments more notable. However, Loveland enters the league with plenty of potential, especially after being selected 10th overall in last month's NFL draft. The B/R NFL Scouting Department ranked Loveland as the 13th overall player and top tight end in this year's draft.

Loveland joins a promising Bears team now led by Johnson, who just oversaw the NFL's top-scoring offense. Johnson has plenty of talent to work with in Chicago, including quarterback Caleb Williams, wide receivers D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze and tight ends Loveland and Cole Kmet.

Ultimately, the opportunities should be there for Loveland to be productive like La Porta or even more so, especially given his talent, potential and Johnson's leadership and acumen.