What are the Kevin White 2017 expectations? Chicago Bears fans would love nothing better than to see him light it up. The perfect end to one of the most arduous journeys for a high team draft pick in recent memory. This isn’t the first time a talented young player the Bears took out of college was ravaged by injuries to start his career. White though is a bit unique in that he suffered broken bones on each of his legs.
Suddenly people are wondering whether he’ll ever have that trademark speed and explosiveness that made him so attractive in the draft. White himself said he’s re-learning how to run. He didn’t elaborate on what that meant, but it certainly made people skeptical about his future. A player only gets so many chances before he’s labeled a bust.
I decided to send out feelers to multiple experts who either cover the Bears primarily or have extensive knowledge of them. The question was simple. What are your expectations/predictions for White in 2017? The answers I got back were informative, and some were even a little surprising.
A few of them were willing to offer specific numbers they envision him reaching.
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Aaron Leming (Bear Report)
“Honestly, I think he goes 40 catches, 650 yards & 3 TDs or somewhere there about. Haven’t spoke with many people that have been at those practices that have said many positive things about him so far.”
Adam Rank (NFL.com)
“I see Cam (Meredith) as the #1. I would like Victor (Cruz) to just be a solid NFL wide receiver. Doesn’t have to go back to his salsa-dancing heyday. So for Kevin White.
I hope he takes the opportunity to be a solid WR2. Work on some things and show improvement. I will go 714 yards, but 4 TDs. And if stuff goes right, that should be good.”
Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. (SB Nation)
“If he stays healthy and has no setbacks, he does have the skill set to give the Bears some production. Something along the lines of 40-50 catches, 500-600 yards.”
Others shied away from attaching a specific number to their own beliefs. They felt it was way too early in the process to determine how things might go. White needs to be seen performing in training camp and the preseason before any sort of reasonable prediction can be made.
Adam Jahns (Chicago Sun-Times)
“It’s best to hold off on predictions until training camp. The quarterbacks still are learning Dowell Loggains’ system. Gauging quarterback-receiver chemistry is difficult right now.
The Bears still have high hopes for White. They won’t scale back their expectations yet. But the Bears also signed a handful of free agents to improve competition and provide better depth should White or others get hurt.”
Chris Emma (CBS Chicago)
“White and (Mike) Glennon have a good connection building. I imagine he could be a key target. But there are many unknowns after two surgeries.
Really hard to say. A lot of competition at receiver and roles being defined.”
Dan Durkin (The Athletic)
“White is a complete unknown. Ultra athletic, but raw coming out WV. Ran a limited route tree and only lined up on right side of formation.”
Rich Campbell (Chicago Tribune)
“Impossible to say. And, as White said well, what I predict doesn’t affect his output anyway. If he stays healthy, he should steadily improve.
I think if he puts up the numbers Cam Meredith did last season (888 yards, 4 TDs) it would be a good year for him, considering he’s played 4 games since 2015.”
It’s easy to pile on and say White may never be the player he was. Then again is it really wise to give up on him so soon. It’s easy to forget that he’s only 24-years old. He’s still a kid. There is time for him to turn things around. Don’t believe it? Here’s an interesting nugget. Future Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison wasn’t even drafted until he was 24. The same goes for Pro Bowlers like Clifford Branch, Donald Driver and Keyshawn Johnson.
Adversity is nothing new to White. He had to fight his way up the ladder from junior college just to get a chance at West Virginia. He’s been battling for his football career his entire life. Besides that, people are overlooking how well he was starting to play early last season. Each week it was reflected in the stats:
- First game: 34 yards
- Second game: 36 yards
- Third game: 62 yards
- Fourth game: 55 yards (through 2.5 quarters)
By all accounts his legs are 100%. Moving forward conditioning will be important, but confidence will be even more so. White needs to reach that point where he can run and react without thinking. Either about his injuries or his lack of experience. We were just starting to see glimpses of it last year before he went down. For those wondering, he was on pace to hit 825 yards. That’s pretty solid.
If he comes close to that ballpark considering what he’s been through, Bears fans should be ecstatic. One thing is for sure. GM Ryan Pace and the coaching staff haven’t lost faith in him yet. That vote of confidence will be vital in the months to come.
