Bears to keep rookie receiver Kevin White out all season
Bears to keep rookie receiver Kevin White out all season
Bears rookie Kevin White will not play this season, the Tribune has learned.
White’s recovery from August surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left leg has progressed as the team had hoped, if not better. The young receiver has made marked improvement with his movement, shown signs of burst as his running has increased and worked through bouts of weakness in his left leg to gain more confidence in his acceleration and agility.
But the Bears have no plan to clear White for action this season, despite growing outside curiosity as to whether his NFL debut could occur in the next four weeks.
White, the No. 7 overall pick in last spring’s NFL draft, has been on the physically-unable-to-perform list since the season began. Officially, the Bears face a Tuesday deadline to activate White to the 53-man roster. The most likely scenario, however, is that he will retain his PUP status and go back to working through his recovery off to the side with the Bears’ trainer and strength and conditioning coaches.
The Bears could push White onto the 53-man roster next week to allow him to continue practicing through season’s end. But even if that were to happen, the rookie receiver would still not play in a game. Furthermore, that move would require the team to eat a roster spot for a player who’d be inactive for the final four games.
League rules have allowed White to work back into practices during a 21-day window that began Nov. 24. The young receiver acknowledges he has been able to improve his route running and gain a better understanding of his reads in the offense over the last 2 1/2 weeks.
“Being an athlete, being a competitor, I want to get out there,” White said. “I think that’s natural.”
But Friday is likely to mark his seventh and final practice this season.
When asked after Wednesday’s practice what message he had for Bears fans itching to see the team’s top draft pick make his NFL debut this season, White sighed and shrugged.
“Not my call,” he said. “… Whatever they want me to do, then that’s what I’ll do.”
In fact, White’s trying first season as a pro finally will reach a definitive conclusion with a decision firmed up to keep him out of game action.
The rookie receiver still needs to strengthen his left leg to get it on par with the opposite side. And while coach John Fox has strategically dodged questions about White’s potential to play this season, the Bears don't want to rush the rookie receiver into full-speed NFL action.
After using a top-10 pick to draft White, the Bears intend to protect that investment for the long term. And the move to keep White off the field on game days this season is an integral part of that.
Get a clue.