The Bears are getting one injured starter back this week with quarterback Jay Cutler returning to the lineup, but they’ll have to wait a little longer before linebacker Lance Briggs is ready to get back in action.
Briggs won’t play against the Browns this week, but he returned to practice on Thursday and said his injured shoulder feels great after two sessions. Coach Marc Trestman indicated that Briggs has a good chance to play in Week 16 against the Eagles as long as everything keeps progressing along the same track.
“I’d be much more optimistic that that could happen,” Trestman said, via the Chicago Tribune. “He got more work today, and we’ll see how he is the first of the week, but it raises our optimism, certainly.”
The Bears run defense has been abysmal since Briggs has been out of the lineup, allowing a 100-yard rusher in each of the six games he’s missed and 1,220 rushing yards overall. With LeSean McCoy looming that week, Briggs’ return would be a welcome one.