Chicago Bears shut Kevin White down for the year

May 8, 2015; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Kevin White (13) during Chicago Bears rookie minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

It looks like the Chicago Bears aren’t going to see 2015 1st-round pick Kevin White play this year. The Chicago Tribune reported that the receiver will not be activated off the PUP list, ending his season. White underwent surgery back in August to repair a stress fracture in his left leg.

The coaching staff has said the receiver showed marked improvement in movement and strength recently. But he’s far away from ready for game action and won’t get there before season’s end.The Bears have until next Tuesday to make an official decision to shut White down.

Chicago selected White with the seventh overall pick in the 2015 draft in hopes he could replace Brandon Marshall. Marshall was traded to the New York Jets for a fifth-round pick this offseason. The Bears saw White and entrenched receiver Alshon Jeffery forming a dynamic duo this year but White’s injury didn’t allow that vision to materialize.

Even though the Bears could have benefited from getting a look at White while getting his feet wet in the NFL. He could have gotten some of those early lessons out of the way to go into next year. But the Bears decided it’s not worth the risk aggravating the injury and ruining that all-important offseason.

So we will have to wait until next year to see how he works along with Jeffery, tight end Martellous Bennett, quarterback Jay Cutler and whoever the running back is. Then all the comparisons to Oakland Raiders rookie standout Amari Cooper will start again.