The Bears need everything to go their way over the final four weeks of the season to have any chance of returning to the playoffs and something went their way on Sunday.
Defensive tackle Akiem Hicks was on the practice field for the first time since he injured his elbow against the Raiders in Week Five. That puts Hicks on a path to returning to the active roster.
“It was nice to see him out there on the field,” head coach Matt Nagy said, via the team’s website. “He’s been on the sidelines, he’s popping in and out. He’s been around in meetings and all that. He’s never left us. We’ve felt him, which is great. But to see him actually out there on a very kick-back tempo type of practice was really good.”
Hicks can’t be activated in time to play against the Cowboys this Thursday, but he could return in Week 15 to face the Packers. Nagy said that decision will be made at some point in the future while adding that the team’s playoff hopes won’t factor into the decision.