Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery has returned to practice after sitting out several days with a hamstring injury, which fits with coach John Fox’s initial description of the issue as a minor one.
Jeffery said Tuesday that he’s feeling better and downplayed connections to last year’s run of injuries that wound up keeping him out of the lineup for seven games. The first of those injuries was to his calf, causing him to miss the entire preseason, and Jeffery then hurt his hamstring after returning to play in the season opener.
This injury obviously hasn’t affected Jeffery as long or as seriously, but the team may still feel that caution is the best route to take regarding his availability for Thursday night’s game against the Broncos. Jeffery said he’ll wait to hear what the coaches want to do and that he hopes to get playing time in the preseason even if it isn’t this week.
“It’s always good to get on the same page in the preseason,” Jeffery said, via the Chicago Tribune. “So it can carry over to the regular season.”
Fox said that “everybody needs some” action in the preseason as long as their body can take it, which suggests Jeffery will see the field as long as he avoids further trips to the trainer’s office. That’s a big if based on last season and one that won’t stop being an issue come September.