Chicago Bears: Kevin White is Strong Rookie of the Year Candidate
I am prepared to make a case for Kevin White to be Rookie of the Year while he is sidelined during training camp with a shin injury. I would have loved to use a picture from mandatory camp, but he is not really taking part, so his photo from college will have to do.
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It’s kind of ridiculous to guess on this kind of thing before one regular season snap has been played, and even more unorthodox for an injured player that is not participating in camp, but nobody ever accused me of being normal.
Drafted by the Chicago Bears 7th overall in the 2015 draft, Kevin White out of WVU brings an excellent skill set as a wide receiver. Here’s some tape:
I’ll admit, the injury is unsettling, but I think the way it is being handled has more positives than negatives. I believe it’s one of those “better safe than sorry” situations. It shows me that they want to protect a valuable asset. Personally I believe he was the best wide receiver in the draft, and considering he is the first ever pick by the new regime, it is in their best interest to play it safe.
The Bears putting White on the PUP list reveals to me that the coaches believe that they can count on Kevin to bring himself up to speed when he comes off of the bench. They have not spent a lot of time around White, but this veteran coaching staff seems to believe in his ability to learn on the fly when he returns. It says a lot about his football character.
Brandon Marshall is gone. He was Jay Cutler‘s guy. Yes, the honeymoon was over, but on the field, they were a match made in heaven. Except the fact that defenses knew that after a while. This is why Alshon Jeffrey excelled.
Jeffery never seemed like he could ever be Cutler’s guy. When Marshall missed time with injury, Cutler never used Jeffery the same way he did Marshall. Sure, Jeffery is an incredibly talented receiver, but Cutler has never seemed to trust him like he did Marshall.
Honestly, with Marshall gone, I think Jay will be looking for a brand new go-to guy.
Nov 16, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) celebrates his touchdown against Minnesota Vikings cornerback Josh Robinson (21) with Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) in the second half of their game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Bears won 21-13. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
It should be Jeffery, he deserves it. He paid his dues and he is a top receiver in this league. Even though he is a human highlight reel, Cutler didn’t latch onto him like that.
That was last season. He was still married and wasn’t sure about is impending divorce from Brandon Marshall. Now with Marshall gone, perhaps he will welcome Jeffery to be his go-to receiver.
Also, he might just want to start fresh with Kevin White.
If White and Cutler can connect this year, it could save Cutler’s career, and would undoubtedly be a big part of a winning season in Chicago; completely turn things for the better.
Only time will tell. Regardless, I have faith that White will be ready to go for the season opener against the Green Bay Packers. He is a human highlight reel, and Cutler clearly has a position of “go-to receiver” up for grabs. If he can stay healthy, White will be a strong offensive rookie of the year candidate.
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