With the Bears’ training camp now in full swing, though, White has still not suited up down in Bourbonnais, Ill. due to what was – up until today – an “undisclosed injury”.
Advertisement
“He hasn’t done any running on hard ground”, Rapoport noted.
A lot can change between now and Week 1, but it would appear that-at the very least-White is highly questionable for the season-opener and beyond.
While it is discouraging to see that White has still been unable to get healthy from this shin injury, Fox and others have displayed no concern about it as a long-term issue. But if White still is on active/PUP then, the Bears would have two options. “(He) has done all his work in a whirlpool as he tries to recover from these shin splints.
Or they could put White on the reserve/PUP list, which would make him ineligible to play or practice during the first six weeks of the regular season. “Actually, a real chance right now that he will not be ready, will remain on PUP list when the season starts”. At this rate, though, it seems unlikely he will practice with the team during training camp.
A more realistic target for White’s return is late in the preseason.
Werder reports that the Bears feel no rush to get White on the practice field as they attempt to build up his cardiovascular endurance. But given that White’s shin injury stemmed from overuse, the Bears are determined to eliminate the problem by being careful. “His ability to communicate with his teammates [is impressive] because he’s further ahead than everybody else”. White is “pushing” to get back on the field, but John Fox and the Bears are being unsurprisingly cautious with a guy who could become a top-ten wideout in a couple of seasons.
May 27, 2015; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6)during organized team activities at the Halas Hall.
“First and foremost, he has been shut down for seven weeks”, Fox said.
Advertisement
But even if the worst-case scenario happens and Kevin White has a “lost” rookie season, I still think the Bears aren’t in too much trouble here.
