Chicago Bears News: Justin Fields returns to practice

Chicago Bears starting quarterback Justin Fields took a step forward on Friday in his recovery from a dislocated right thumb that has kept him sidelined since the second half of the Bears’ Week 6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

For the first time since the injury, Fields returned to practice as he was a limited participant on Friday.

On an interesting note, Fields has not been officially ruled out for the Bears’ game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. This would mark the first time since the injury occurred that Fields hasn’t been officially ruled out on the Friday before a game.

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields returned to practice on Friday for the first time since suffering a dislocated right thumb injury.

The expectation is, however, that rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent will make the start for the Bears on Sunday. The hype on Bagent has died down after his two-interception performance against the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday night and with another game on the road in the Superdome, expectations are not high for the Bears’ backup quarterback.

While Fields likely will not play on Sunday, his ability to return to practice on Friday could be an encouraging sign for the team’s game next week. The Bears have a short turnaround after their game with the Saints as they will host the Carolina Panthers at Soldier Field next Thursday. Assuming Fields has no setback after returning to practice today, it certainly could be in play that he makes his return next Thursday for the Bears.

There will be plenty of storylines for the Bears’ game against the Panthers as there has been a consensus that the team would take quarterbacks Caleb Williams or Drake Maye if the Panthers’ 2024 first-round pick is one of the top two selections in the daft. The Bears passed up on the opportunity of taking rookie quarterback Bryce Young last off-season when they dealt the first overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft to the Panthers for a package that included Carolina’s 2024 first-round selection and wide receiver D.J. Moore.