The Bears enjoyed a major step forward on the injury report Friday as two key players on offense returned to practice.
Running back D'Onta Foreman practiced on a limited basis after being listed as out if there had been a practice on Thanksgiving. Another player who would have been out on Thanksgiving if practice had been held was center Lucas Patrick, but the Bears reported him as a full participant at Friday's practice.
Patrick's availability would make for an interesting deicision.
The Bears benched Cody Whitehair last week and went to Patrick at starting center last week. Then he suffered a back injury on a blindside block. Dan Feeney replaced Patrick and no one was complaining at Halas Hall about his performance.
"I think the hardest part, honestly, is when that happens in the middle of a drive like that, that's the hardest part," offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. "But Dan did an incredible job for his first crack at the thing to go out there and against that team in that environment and all that stuff, he did an incredible job.
"I thought he stepped in and we couldn't have asked for nay more to be honest with you."
Patrick, meanwhile, was on for 35 plays before the injury and was coming off his best blocking performance as a Bear according to Pro Football Focus. His grade of 70.6 for 35 plays on Sunday was his second-best grade of the season and third best overall with the team. Feeney didn't enjoy as good of a PFF grade as Patrick, with a 57.0.
Backup tackle Larry Borom missed Friday's practice with an illness while tight end Marcedes Lewis was given the day off for veteran's rest and linebacker Noah Sewell (knee) was out, injured.
More must-reads: