Word on White is good, despite the benching
One day after the Bears made 2015 first-round pick Kevin White a healthy scratch for the first time in his career, his receivers coach offered very little public criticism of his play.
“He’s been great,” Mike Furrey said Monday. “He had a great week — and [the receivers] all have. They’re all out there working.”
White’s benching came at a particularly damning time, as receiver Allen Robinson and tight end Ben Braunecker were inactive Sunday because of a groin injury and concussion, respectively.
Furrey said coach Matt Nagy decided who would be inactive. On Sunday, Nagy said the coaching staff spoke with White, who’s in the final year of his rookie contract, to explain the team’s direction.
Asked what he could do to help White stay patient, Furrey continued to stress the positive.
“Just continue to do what he’s doing,” he said. “I’m really pleased where he’s at. I think he would say that, too, with the fact he can go out and run around. He feels good. He feels healthy. He understands what we’re doing.”
Shaheen almost there
The Bears have two tight ends in concussion protocol: Dion Sims, who was hurt Sunday, and Braunecker, who was hurt the week before. But that won’t speed up Adam Shaheen’s timeline for returning from injured reserve, Nagy said. Shaheen has been on injured reserve since the start of the season because of a preseason injury to his right ankle and foot.
Nagy hinted he could practice with the team Wednesday.
“With Shaheen, he’s getting very close,” Nagy said. “So [we’ll] keep an eye on him this week and see where he’s at.”
Even if Shaheen returns to practice Wednesday, starting a three-week window to return to games, there’s little chance he’d be in game shape by Sunday against the Lions.
This and that
Rookie defensive tackle Bilal Nichols, who missed the Bills game with a knee injury, and receiver Taylor Gabriel, who limped off the field Sunday with a knee injury, should be able to play against the Lions, Nagy said.
♦ Nagy was unamused by Aaron Lynch’s pelvic-thrust sack celebration, which drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty in the fourth quarter.
“He came off the sideline, [and] the first thing he said to me is, ‘My bad,’ ” Nagy said. “He knows he shouldn’t have done that.
“That’s the last [flag] he’s going to have. He’s not going to have another one. If he does, I’ll be talking to him.”
♦ Nagy wasn’t troubled by left tackle Charles Leno’s three false starts.
“I have no concerns with him,” Nagy said. “He knows it hurts us. We can’t have those penalties, and he’ll fix that.”
♦ The Bears signed offensive lineman Willie Beavers for their vacant spot on the practice squad.