A Potentially Excellent Linebacker Joins The Chicago Bears.
The Chicago Bears have invested a great deal of time, money, and effort into developing their offensive, to the point where it has undergone a complete overhaul, including hiring new coaches. The team’s offensive scheme has completely changed with the arrival of running back D’Andre Swift, wide receiver Rome Odunze, experienced wide receiver Keenan Allen, and blue chip quarterback Caleb Williams.
But what about defense? Little has been accomplished. On a defense that struggled early in the season but finished among the top 10 in the league, headed by new defensive end Montez Sweat, whom the Bears acquired at the trade deadline, not much was needed, to be honest.
However, despite the defense-focused team’s success, there were still gaps to be filled and, regrettably, limited funds available.
Chicago Bears Acquire A Defensive End
The Bears did, however, recruit one defensive player in the last few days at a deep discount; this move might end up being more significant than it now seems. It was revealed earlier this week that linebacker Javin White had signed with Chicago. White, 27, was sidelined by the Bears for the entirety of the 2022 season as he healed from an ACL tear. After that, he was a free agent for the 2023 season. Later, in order to remain active, he would join the UFL.
He made waves in the UFL with some brilliant plays that seemed to indicate he might have totally recovered from his injury that could have ended his career.
The former UNLV standout concluded the 2024 season with 40 tackles, three TFLs, and two sacks while playing for the Michigan Panthers. After moving up from special teams, White made a significant contribution as a starter and guided the team into the postseason. White was the MVP of the club, nearly leading it to victory at times with seven tackles, 1.5 sacks, two TFLs, and an interception even though the Panthers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. White was a player for the New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders before becoming hurt. His real NFL experience was restricted to six games between 2020 and 2021.
A Relentless Overachiever
Currently, White is perceived as a bit of an overachiever who persisted in advancing his career when it would have been simpler to give up and look for employment elsewhere. With perseverance and a spark that organizations saw as potentially extraordinary, he worked his way into the NFL as an undrafted college prospect in 2020. He’s getting another chance in the major leagues because of his impressive tryout results with the Bears and his time in the UFL. His arrival, though, might possibly have had something to do, at least partially, with timing, as Chicago is already experiencing some depth problems and is somewhat limited at linebacker owing to injuries.
With several impressive plays that looked to imply he might have fully recovered from the injury that could have terminated his career, he caused ripples in the UFL.
However, one thing is certain. It is obvious that the Bears need some depth players, particularly on defense where the majority of the squad that played last season will return.