Kevin White has been nearly nonexistent through three preseason games.
The Chicago Bears receiver has just one catch in each of the three contests. The trio of snatches has gone for a grand total of 12 yards, with a long of six. That's not exactly what the Bears had in mind after making him the No. 7 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
White's struggles continued Saturday afternoon in a 23-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that saw the Bears' first-team offense rack up a whopping 20 yards on 18 first-half plays. For the day, White caught one pass for three yards on four targets, had a poor drop and ran a bad route in the red zone.
White missed all of last season due to injury and hasn't hit the ground running thus far in preseason.
"It's just growing pains," quarterback Jay Cutler said of his receiver, via CSN Chicago. "It's just kind of how it is, his 'rookie' year, not really playing a lot of college football... . We're working with him and he's doing everything he possibly can to work through it and be where it's supposed to be.
"And he understood it. I talked to him on the sideline and just told him this is going to happen. And now he knows and it just can't happen again. We just can't have repeat mistakes. He's a good kid and he's going to do well."
White has the size and speed to be a difference maker but has yet to flash any of that skill in the preseason. The Bears aren't even asking White to use all that talent.
White ran a 4.35 40-yard-dash at the Combine, but Chicago is utilizing White mainly on bubble screens, shallow crossers and quick outs. The Bears haven't even attempted to stretch the field with the fast receiver, which is akin to buying a speed boat and never leaving the no-wake zone.
We always caution not to make too much of the preseason. Perhaps Dowell Loggains is keeping his plan for White under wraps until games count. Perhaps the team doesn't want White to press too much.
After what we've seen the past month from White and the entire Bears offense, the genuine concern is mounting.
