Chicago Bears waiting for Kevin White's return

BOURBONNAIS - After what seemed an interminable wait, first-round draft pick Kevin White finally has made some visible progress in his lengthy recovery from a shin injury.

But he's still not expected to play in the preseason.

All White did was jog on an adjacent field while teammates practiced Monday, but coach John Fox agreed it was a hopeful sign.

"He's making progress," Fox said. "He was out there running today … on hard ground. He's been running (previously), but it's been in water, some various types of exercises that don't (create) pounding on the legs.

"From what I gathered so far, he had a good day."

Although White hasn't been available to the media, Fox's progress reports have indicated that the big wide receiver is more than eager to return.

But after an eight-week absence, the Bears will be cautious in bringing back the 6-foot-3, 217-pound rookie.

"He's a tough young man," Fox said. "He's at the bit ready to go, (but) we've got to be smart enough to ease him back into it. It would be crazy for us just to throw him back out there."

Not surprisingly, given the way the Bears have slow-played White's rehab, wide receivers coach Mike Groh expressed doubt that the rookie would participate in the exhibition season.

"Sure, we'd love to have him play in a preseason game," Groh said. "The more he can get out here with Jay (Cutler) and the rest of the offense, the better. But that's probably not going to be the case."

A slow start doesn't mean White won't produce at some point in the season.

A nagging hamstring injury early last season kept Odell Beckham Jr. out of four games. But it didn't prevent him from having a spectacular rookie season for the New York Giants (91 catches, 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns).

"Beckham missed a lot of time early, and I think he must have stayed engaged mentally," Groh said. "They kept him going, kept him engaged in the meetings, and that's what we've tried to do here. And when he can go there and do it, he's going to go do it."

No one expects White to match Beckham's numbers, but teammates and coaches alike have praised White's attentiveness in the classroom and refusal to fall behind in assimilating the new offense.

"Mentally, I think Kevin's doing an outstanding job," Groh said. "He's done everything we've asked (him) to and more, certainly made sacrifices in his personal time to get out in front of the playbook and understand everything we're trying to do and everything we're installing.

"I'm very proud of him for what he's done off the field. Then, when we get him on the field, we're going to see what he can do out here physically."

It's because of his rare combinations of athletic gifts and what he did in his final season at West Virginia - 109 receptions, 1,447 yards (13.3-yard average) and 10 touchdowns - that White's return is so highly anticipated.

The draft's seventh overall pick brings a whole smorgasbord of talent to the table.

"Obviously, (there's) his physical size," Groh said. "And his physical skills, his gifts - straight-line speed, (and) he's got very strong hands.

"He's got an ability to drop his weight (to make sharp cuts), bang a DB around and make contested plays. Those are the kind of things that we think physically he'll bring to the offense."

But there still is no timetable for White's return to the field.

"When he's deemed healthy," Fox said, "he'll be out there practicing."

The Bears' offense can't wait.

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