Kevin White Didn't Sugarcoat His Words On Bears Status

Three years ago Kevin White was hailed as the next great Chicago Bears wide receiver. It was hard not to hop on board the hype train. He was a 6'3" kid with a tireless work ethic and true speed on the field that could make him lethal against defenses. This offense was supposed to be his for the taking. Then his body betrayed him. Over the next three seasons, he broke both of his legs and then fractured his shoulder blade. These injuries forced him to miss all but five games in his NFL career to this point. It's no longer about becoming the main man anymore for White. It's about trying to rescue is NFL career. Simply staying healthy won't do it this year though. The Bears ensured that when they added a litany of new faces to the receiving corps including Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, and Anthony Miller. Both Mitch Trubisky and Matt Nagy have offered heartfelt support to White in his bid to get back on the field, but the receiver himself seems to reflect a person who knows he's facing a stacked deck.

Kevin White pragmatic about his status on the Bears roster

Speaking with reporters for the first time at OTAs, White explained his exhaustive work coming back from his latest injury. Inevitably the topic of the Bears not picking up the 5th year option of his rookie contract came up. This can sometimes be a sore spot for players. It's a clear admission from the team that they don't trust him enough to pay that kind of money for another year. The same thing happened with Kyle Fuller in 2017. Asked if the decision provided motivation, White shrugged it off.

"I'm motivated every single day, with or without the option."

Give the young man credit. He had a chance to create a fuss over the situation and sidestepped it with class. Not only did he avoid addressing the option topic itself, he also credited GM Ryan Pace for his conduct when informing White that the decision was made.

"Clean cut and smooth."

The most interesting comment though was saved for when the question of whether or not he still feels the Bears believe in him. While hardly an explosive answer, it offered a keen insight into White's mindset. Perhaps an understanding that his time on the team runs short unless he can somehow turn things around.

"Ah, don't know. Really don't bother me at all. I believe in myself."

The ironic part of this is that the difficulty for White isn't staying on the field anymore. It's getting on the field to begin with. Robinson, Gabriel, and Miller already seem earmarked for substantial roles in the offense. That means he'll be battling nine other guys in training camp to carve out what will be, at best, a reserve role. Who knows. Maybe this humbling experience will be the catalyst for his rebound.