As far as grand returns go, there’s no better week for Bears defensive lineman Akiem Hick to make it back out on the field than against the Packers.
While Bears coach Matt Nagy has been careful not to guarantee Hicks will return Sunday at Lambeau Field, Hicks, who referred to this week as a “regular work week,” sounds like a man preparing to start.
The Bears will return to practice on Wednesday, and the team will have three days to determine if Hicks is good to go against Green Bay.
“The mentality for him is try to get stronger each and every day,” Nagy said. “He hasn’t been through any of the live stuff at all. Each day try to stay positive, try to get stronger and see where it takes us by the end of the week. But hopefully he’ll be ready to go.”
If Hicks is indeed good to go, the Bears will have to activate him off injured reserve by Saturday.
While Hicks insists that he’s not there yet, he believes that he’ll be good to go come Sunday. The most important thing is making sure that he’s ready when he returns to the field.
“One of the things I really focused on was making sure my elbow was in the strongest place possible,” Hicks said. “We still have some finishing up to do. All these days to make gains and get a little bit better. Just working on that.”
Hicks, whose lone sack in his four starts came against the Packers in Week 1, said his elbow feels good. Although he won’t know for sure until he hits the field.
“Everything’s going to come to light those first couple plays,” he said. “There’s nothing like that first moment of being back, or stepping on the field, and that first contact. You can simulate in whatever environment you want, but there’s nothing like it.”
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