The window for allowing players on the physically unable to perform list or the non-football injury/illness list to return to practice will soon close. Beating the deadline to get back to the practice field was Bengals defensive tackle Pat Sims.
The team announced that Sims returned to practice today, for the first time since injuring a hamstring on July 26. The Bengals now have three weeks to put him on the active roster or shut him down for the season.
A third-round pick in 2008, Sims has appeared in 52 games with 23 starts. His presence can’t hurt; the Bengals defense is 21st in yards allowed, and the team has slumped to 3-4 after a 3-1 start.