Should Chicago Bears Add Tanner Gentry to 53-Man Roster?
It appears that the only break that Chicago Bears wide receiver Kevin White can catch is with his bones. In the fourth quarter of the Bears’ 23-17 season-opening loss to the Atlanta Falcons, White left the game with a shoulder injury. Since game’s end, it’s been assumed that the 2015 first-round draft pick suffered a broken collarbone that will require season-ending surgery. If this is the case, then this will be the third year in a row that White has been sidelined with a season-ending injury.
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So what should Chicago do now? They already loss Alshon Jeffery to free agency. Last year’s top receiver, Cameron Meredith, is out for the year with a torn ACL, and Reuben Randall is also on injured reserve. This leaves the Bears with Kendall Wright, Deonte Thompson, Markus Wheaton, Josh Bellamy, and Tre McBride III as the only wide receivers on their current 53-man roster. This doesn’t sound like a bunch of potent weapons in Chicago’s offensive arsenal. It looks like the Bears should take an early look to their practice squad.
Rookie wide receiver Tanner Gentry was a favorite with both coaches and fans during this summer’s training camp. Gentry made big plays consistently, and caught virtually everything thrown his way. Seeing just how ineffective Chicago’s receivers were versus the Falcons, bringing up Gentry from the practice squad definitely won’t make matters worse than they are right now.
It doesn’t look like there are any available, unsigned receivers floating around in free agency that can make an immediate impact for the Bears’ offense. The only other alternative that makes any sense it to give Eddie Royal a call; he already knows the offensive game plan. Royal was with Chicago the last two seasons, and was released by management in May.
It may be super early in the season, but it looks like the Bears are really close to hitting the panic button, and something should be done quickly. If no action is made, then the offense will be forced to rely heavily on their running game, and will be putting quarterback Mike Glennon in a very tough spot. Many thought Gentry should have been on the original 53-man roster for 2017. Well, it looks like those fans just might finally get what they want.