Chicago Bears: John Fox confident in health of wide receiver Kevin White
Chicago Bears head coach John Fox expresses optimism on the health of talented wide receiver Kevin White.
The Chicago Bears took wide receiver Kevin White with the seventh overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. White entered the NFL after a season at West Virginia where he caught 109 passes for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Add that kind of production to his big and strong frame, freak athleticism and 4.35 speed and it is easy to see why Ryan Pace and company fell in love with the young wide receiver. That being said, his first two years in the NFL have not gone according to plan.
White missed the entire 2015 season with a stress fracture in his left leg. He was healthy at the start of the 2016 season and played in the Bears’ first four games of the year. However, a high ankle sprain that led to another fractured bone forced him to miss the rest of the season.
In the four games that he played, White flashed his immense upside. His speed and powerful athleticism at the wide receiver position is still there but White simply has not been able to stay on the field for an extended period of time. Will this be the year? Chicago Bears head coach John Fox seems optimistic. Fox’s quote below comes courtesy of ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson.
"“I think he looks very healthy,” Fox said on Friday. “With the things that we’ve done, I’m hoping he can remain healthy. There’s been a bugaboo in his career thus far, and frustration. It starts with him; I don’t think anybody goes out there [to] get injured. But it is part of the game, and unfortunately it’s been a tough start. He’s a tireless worker, and I think he’s having a great offseason.”"
We obviously have a long way to go before the season starts but White coming out of the offseason healthy is a great sign. He always seems to be dealing with something, but if Fox is to be believed, that may not be the case at the moment.
His health is important because the Bears need White to step up and perform more than ever before. After losing Alshon Jeffery in free agency, the Bears clearly lack a true number one receiver. While there are things to like about Cameron Meredith, Kendall Wright and undrafted rookie Tanner Gentry, White is the only receiver on this roster with true number one upside.
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If Mike Glennon and/or Mitch Trubisky are going to have success through the next few years, White is going to have to be a major part of the Bears offense. If he continues to struggle with injuries, it is going to decrease the chances that Trubisky becomes a top-tier starting quarterback.
Simply put, the Chicago Bears need their first round receiver to stay on the field and produce like he is capable. If that happens, they could quickly become a strong and explosive offensive unit. You might have to squint a bit to see it but a 2018 offense led by Trubisky, White, Jordan Howard and Adam Shaheen could be extremely dangerous.