Kevin White Injury: Latest on Bears WR’s Recovery from Leg Surgery
Published by Mike Chiari on November 24, 2015
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Kevin White has yet to play this season due to injury, but the door has been left slightly open for his return. The Bears announced he has been activated, though his status for the remainder of the season remains in question.
Continue for updates.
White Set to Return to Practice
Tuesday, Nov. 24
The Bears announced they opened White’s 21-day practice window Tuesday.
While a return to practice is encouraging, Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune reported White is still unlikely to appear in a regular-season game in 2015.
White’s Rookie Season Derailed by Injury
The injury issues began in training camp for White, as he was placed on the physically unable to perform list with a shin ailment. Although getting back from the PUP list was a slow process, general manager Ryan Pace downplayed the severity of the injury, per ESPN.com’s Jeff Dickerson.
“Kevin has a shin injury that we told him to stay off of the last month,” Pace said. “So for us it’s more, hey, he’s been inactive. We want to kind of have a ramp-up phase in regards to his cardio. So we’re going to start him off on PUP to kind of build his cardiovascular endurance.”
The 23-year-old wideout ultimately underwent shin surgery, though, which has kept him on the reserve list for the entirety of the 2015 campaign until now.
The Bears have plenty invested in White as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2015 draft, so their cautious approach has certainly been understandable. It is also difficult to imagine the organization pressing the issue now that its playoff hopes are fading.
Chicago has struggled with depth at the wide receiver position this season, as both Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal have been injured at various points, but that is unlikely to influence the manner in which it handles White.
The former West Virginia standout has a chance to be a major NFL star if he can get healthy, and while the Bears seem open to seeing if he can suit up this season, letting him sit out and come back in 2016 may ultimately be the best move.
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