Bears news: Matt Nagy says Kevin White has a 'big ceiling'

The Chicago Bears have high hopes for the future as they start to build around quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and new head coach Matt Nagy believes wideout Kevin White could have a bright future despite his persistent injury issues.

Since being selected in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Chicago Bears wide receiver Kevin White has struggled to live up to expectations. He has spent a significant bulk of that time sidelined due to injury that has prevented him from truly stepping into a prominent role.

The 25-year-old will have a chance to get his career back on track under new head coach Matt Nagy. According to Patrick Finely of Chicago Sun-Times, Nagy believes that White has potential to become a highly productive talent at his position.

“I would think it would, that it would help him,” Nagy said. “If any of us were in that situation, and you have a fresh start — forget about the whys of what happened. Forget about that. That doesn’t matter. What matters is about right now.

“He’s young. He has a big ceiling. Now we can try to do it as much as we can as coaches and try to pull it out of him, but he’s got to work hard. He’s got to put time in the playbook. He’s got to put in the extra work after practice when he can. And then when the game comes, he’s got to make plays. When you do that, his confidence will slowly get better and better.”

Through his first three years in the league, White has only played in five games tallying 21 receptions on targets for 193 receiving yards over that span. In the 2017 campaign, he played in the season opener where he suffered a fractured his left shoulder blade in the game where he recorded two receptions for six receiving yards.

It marked the third straight year that he was placed on the injured reserve. White will have the opportunity to step into a more prominent role this upcoming season where he could step into a role as one of the main receiving options alongside offseason additions in former Pro Bowl wide receiver Allen Robinson, tight end Trey Burton, and wide receiver Taylor Gabriel.

All of this will hinge on his health as he has yet to show he can stay on the field for the duration of an entire season having played no more than four games in any year. If he is able to accomplish that, he may be in line for a breakout 2018 campaign where he finally fulfills his potential.