Kevin White is done for the year with fractured scapula

Chicago Bears wideout Kevin White suffered a fractured scapula in the team’s Week 1 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and it may need surgery, according to the Bears. White was placed on injured reserve, ending his season.

White, 25, has had horrible injury luck in the beginning of his NFL career. The Bears selected the receiver with the No. 7 pick in 2015, but lost him for his entire rookie season due to a stress fracture in his shin that required surgery. In 2016, he played in only four games before suffering a fractured fibula.

The injury to White this time is an upper body problem, which should allow him to have a better recovery for the 2018 season, but White’s future with the Bears will be in doubt if he’s ruled out for the year and has just five games under his belt after three seasons.

What will the Bears offense look like without White? It was important that White stood out for the Bears in 2017 after losing Alshon Jeffery in free agency. But it appears as though his season could be over after just two receptions for six yards.

The team doesn’t have much depth to work with at the position, but has operated without White for more than two years now. Running back Tarik Cohen led the team in receptions and receiving yards against the Falcons, but it will be on players like Kendall Wright, Deonte Thompson, and Markus Wheaton to step up in White’s absence.

What does this mean for White? With his salary in year four of his rookie contract already guaranteed, the Bears won’t save money by releasing him, so he’ll likely get another chance to prove his worth.

The Bears are unlikely to pick up the fifth-year option on White after he posted a collective 21 receptions in five games over three seasons, though. That means if his season really is over, the pressure will be on the receiver to finally have a healthy season and play well in 2018, which will be the last year of his contract.