Aug. 17--News of the stress fracture in Kevin White's left shin on Saturday rattled a Bears fan base with high expectations for the receiver's rookie season.
Inside the team, however, business continued as usual. After all, the Bears have been practicing without White since his stress fracture was first detected in mid-June.
Now that White's chances of playing in 2015 seem dim, Bears receivers have a clearer sense of their challenge in replacing his contribution.
Veteran Eddie Royal, who signed as a free agent in March, was likely to be a starter regardless of White's health. The Bears like him as a slot receiver because of his suddenness and ability to gain yards after the catch. Without White, though, he could play more outside.
Royal came into the league with the Broncos in 2008 playing outside and has done so throughout his career.
"I've been trying to learn the whole system just so if anything happens that I'll be able to step in and play wherever," he said after Sunday's practice. "We've got a number of guys that are doing that."
Third-year receiver Marquess Wilson is another one. He's more suited to the outside because he's not as agile as Royal, and he's longer. Wilson wowed the crowd Sunday with a leaping catch on a deep throw down the right sideline from Jay Cutler.
Forte to play: Even before attrition set in among the Bears' receivers, coach John Fox recognized running back Matt Forte's value by holding him out of live tackling drills in training camp, the Aug. 8 scrimmage and the exhibition win over the Dolphins.
But Forte expects to join the starters Saturday against the Colts. On the cusp of his eighth NFL season, he does get something out of playing in exhibition games.
"Not a whole lot ... but you do have to get used to blocking guys full speed, breaking tackles full speed and get used to hitting people and getting hit," he said. "It is pretty beneficial. You don't want to go into the season where you're kind of rusty."
Fox has said he expects the starters to remain in the game until about halftime.
Fales passes: Reserve quarterback David Fales was cleared from his unspecified illness and participated in his first training-camp practice Sunday.
After missing 12 practices, he must climb back into the competition with Shane Carden and try to convince the Bears to keep a third quarterback on the 53-man roster behind Cutler and backup Jimmy Clausen.
Fales said he picked up Adam Gase's offense more easily than he did Marc Trestman's last year as a rookie. His experience watching NFL defenses last year sped up the process.
"It's night and day, just how I see everything," he said. "But seeing and knowing is different than going out there and getting behind center and doing it."
rcampbell@tribpub.com
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