After picking up two wins in five days to pull up to the .500 mark, the Chicago Bears are stacking together some good vibes on the field and off. And soon enough, one of its best players could be joining a team on the up-swing.
The latest from Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy on the possible return of Akiem Hicks:
Matt Nagy on Akiem Hicks, who is eligible to practice this week: "We’re hoping he’s able to come back this week and start practicing."
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) November 29, 2019
Hicks was injured in the early stages of the Bears’ Week 5 loss to the Raiders and has been on injured reserve since, though his return to the playing field could be on the horizon.
But first, Hicks needs to hit the practice field.
Nagy told reporters that one goal for this coming week is to get Hicks back onto the practice field, which could happen as the Bears prepare to take on the Cowboys on Thursday Night Football.
And while Hicks won’t be eligible to play in a game until Week 15 against the Packers, returning to practice is an important first step in the process.
The idea of Hicks returning has always been in the back of my mind, but I am willing to admit those thoughts started to fade just a bit when the Bears were sitting at 4-6 after losing to the Rams on Sunday Night Football a few weeks ago. But the back-to-back come-from-behind wins against the Giants and Lions has breathed new life into the Bears’ season, which has brought back the pipe dream of Hicks playing meaningful games in December.
We will monitor news surrounding Hicks’ possible return as it presents itself. And if the Bears can pull out a win against the Cowboys next week, the story of Hicks’ comeback could coincide with a return to legitimate playoff chatter surrounding this team.