The biggest ball-hawk in the Chicago Bears’ secondary is taking his first steps toward a return for Sunday’s playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles:
#Bears coach Matt Nagy says FS Eddie Jackson will test out his injured ankle today. He believes all 3 injured receivers are in a good place. Injury report comes out post-practice.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) January 2, 2019
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets Eddie Jackson will test his injured ankle in today’s practice, according to Head Coach Matt Nagy. Jackson missed the last two games of the regular season after suffering a sprained ankle while giving himself up at the end of a return of an intercepted pass thrown by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the fourth quarter back in Week 15. Deon Bush has started in Jackson’s place and has played admirably, but getting a safety of Jackson’s caliber back in the mix would provide the NFL’s top scoring defense with an additional boost.
Jackson earned Pro Bowl honors with a breakout second season. The second-year Alabama product came away with seven interceptions, two pick-sixes, a fumble recovery that turned into a touchdown, two forced fumbles, 15 pass break-ups, and his first career sack. Jackson does a little bit of everything and does it well. So if the test results yield a positive return, it would be the best news the Bears defense will receive all week.
Elsewhere on the injury front, Nagy put out some positive vibes by telling reporters at Halas Hall he felt good with where Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, and Anthony Miller were in their recovery process. Robinson and Gabriel suffered rib injuries in Weeks 16 and 17, respectively, while making remarkable catches down the left sideline on passes thrown by Mitch Trubisky. Miller injured his shoulder at the end of a running play on the Bears’ first offensive possession. Getting three starting caliber receivers back into the huddle would surely help Trubisky in his first playoff start.
One of the most valuable aspects of the 2018 season has been the Bears’ injury management. After prioritizing player health and readiness for regular season action with great success, it feels good to see more good news regarding player returns – especially this time of year.