Ryan Pace called in a press conference Saturday morning to break some unsettling news: Kevin White will be having surgery on a fractured shin that could lead to him missing the whole season.
What is even more troubling is the fact that White will have a rod inserted into his tibula; which as we know isn’t the best way to start your NFL career for a wide receiver.
With a very shallow free agency pool this late, the Bears are likely stuck with what they have at wide reciever. As it stands, your top three wide outs will be Jeffery, Wilson and Royal.
The Marquess Wilson time-clock has officially begun today and as surely Wilson knows; it’s time to show up and let Bear nation see the potential so many saw in him as a draft pick and the player we’ve seen at training camp. Cutler acknowledged the importance of Wilson and his emergence as the number three receiver.” He’s coming along great and expectations are high”, Cutler said after working route patterns with Eddie Royal, who had a fantastic camp.
Wilson has been a consistent off-season member of Cutler’s training committee, even flying down with Jay to continue training and running routes down at Jays alma mater; Vanderbilt University. When asked about the trip down, Wilson laughed and said “It was good, always good to get some time in working with the guys.”
Wilson also acknowledged the importance of having a role model after the loss of Brandon Marshall, who he said he still talks to; and exhibited appreciation that Eddie Royal has brought to the wide receiver room.
Wilson also has been seen at training camp constantly grinding, and asking questions to Alshon Jeffery; looking for any type of trick of the trade he can learn from one of the leagues best wide receivers. The problem now is will all the hard work and dedication translate to a more polished and better player on the field? It’s been noticed Cutlers nearly interception free camp and his “excitement” of working with quarterback coach Dowell Logains and Adam Gase. Marquees chimed in on his own exuberance when discussing Gases new offense and the innovation Adam has been noted as bringing; saying “(Gases) Offense has been fast, guys are really flying around”, and when asked what is helping this year going into is third season. Wilson explained that “maturity” has played a vital role in his possible emergence as the number two receiver.
That is the question Adam Gase and John Fox must be asking themselves if Wilson is, as what is very telling, going to be supplanting White as the heir to the number 2 reliever role for this coming season. If the Bears and Pace were to be totally honest, the likelihood of White coming in off the PUP list this season is miniscule; even at that, why would the Bears risk any more type of issues down the road to a top 10 pick? And from what I was told, White already had his surgery and it was not out of the possibility that it was done early this offseason. Which would help explain Whites absence from a few days during OTA’s.
Pace said that Whites “long-term health” is of the utmost importance; if that is the case the Bears will be likely to chalk up Kevin Whites rookie season as a red shirt, and let him learn on the sidelines and the meeting room while letting his shin heal. It’s a huge blow and a disappointment for Ryan Paces first pick as Chicago Bears general manager. But if Bear fans can find a silver lining of hope, it’s that Wilson will finally realize the potential that we all have seen, and the Kevin White loss will be a mere afterthought until his shin can fully heal.
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