LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears signed first-round draft pick Colston Loveland to his rookie contract on Thursday.
The Bears wasted little time locking in the tight end from Michigan after taking him with the No. 10 overall pick two weeks ago. He gets a four-year deal with a team option for the 2029 season. Last year, the Bears didn’t sign No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and first-rounder Rome Odunze until mid-July.
Loveland was one of five draft picks Chicago signed on Thursday. The others were linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II (fourth round), defensive back Zah Frazier (fifth round), offensive lineman Luke Newman (sixth round) and running back Kyle Monangai (seventh round). Second-rounders Luther Burden III (receiver), Ozzy Trapilo (offensive tackle) and Shemar Turner (defensive end) remain unsigned.
The 6-foot-6 Loveland gives the Bears a potentially potent tandem at tight end with Cole Kmet. He set a school record for a tight end with 56 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns as a junior last season. He was second-team All-Big Ten and a finalist for the John Mackey Award given to college football’s top tight end. He was first-team all-conference in the 2023 national championship season, when he caught 45 passes for 649 yards and four TDs.
Loveland had surgery to reconstruct the AC joint in his right shoulder on Jan. 29 to fix an injury he suffered in September. He is expected to be ready by training camp.
The Bears finished last in the NFC North at 5-12. They fired former coach Matt Eberflus in the middle of a 10-game losing streak and hired Ben Johnson in the offseason to replace him.
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