When he took the head coaching job with the Chicago Bears, Ben Johnson wanted alignment with the general manager. The easiest way to summarize that was ensuring the two men were on the same page from a vision standpoint. Ryan Poles showed over the past three years that he was willing to accommodate head coach Matt Eberflus and the types of players he wanted. There is no reason to think it will be any different with Johnson. That begs the question.
What players in this upcoming class might be somebody the new Bears head coach pushes hard for? There are plenty of good talent at multiple positions of need. Johnson is almost certain to have a handful of names he’d love to coach. However, one jumped out as impossible to ignore after some research. That is Michigan tight end Coleston Loveland. This may seem unusual since tight end isn’t a huge need until you see the pro comparison for him.
Ben Johnson finding another Sam LaPorta would be perfect.
Remember, he was in Detroit when the Lions drafted the tight end out of Iowa. In two years, they amassed 1,645 yards and 17 touchdowns together. LaPorta went to the Pro Bowl as a rookie and became a key part of the Lions’ electric offense. Having that dimension in Chicago seems like a no-brainer for Ben Johnson. What many will want to know is whether Cole Kmet can fill that void. He’s always shown flashes of playmaking ability, but previous playcallers seem unable to get him more involved. With the exit of Gerald Everett, the Bears have a vacancy to fill at tight end. Adding Loveland in the 2nd round, presuming he’s still available, would be a loud and clear signal about Johnson’s intentions, both with Kmet and the offense in general.
