What A.J. Thomas' Practice Squad Return Could Mean

The Bears brought safety A.J. Thomas back to their practice squad Friday after he had been cut, and it can only be interpreted as a precaution.

Thomas was deemed expendable when they decided to sign former Rams and Memphis safety Quindell Johnson off waivers and put him on the 53-man roster. Johnson became the fourth safety.

However, Johnson provides no experience in the NFL with this defensive system and actually came from a team at training camp using a scheme not unlike the old one the Bears had under defensive coordinators Vic Fangio, Chuck Pagano and Sean Desai.

They're talking about a fourth safety so it's likely this position wouldn't come into play in the opener except for one thing: Starter Jaquan Brisker hasn't practiced since the first week of August and although he has tried to come back during the week he was out again on Thursday.

"He's been in there in practice this week, which has been good, and he's been working off to the side also during practice, so he's starting to get himself in there, and we feel good where he is," coach Matt Eberflus said.

It wasn't exactly a ringing vote of confidence in Brisker's return and if he misses the game then Elijah Hicks is s starting. Hicks had 168 defensive plays last year as a rookie and got targeted only seven times, allowing six completions. Two of those went for touchdowns, which was why his passer rating against when targeted was the worst a player can have, at 158.3.

So the fourth safety could come into play this week and it might be a case where the fourth on the 53-man roster, Johnson, would be behind the fifth safety for at least this week. That would be newly signed practice squad player A. J. Thomas.

Thomas got in five games for 66 special teams plays and 13 defensive plays last year so at least he has been in the system, unlike Johnson.

The Bears also have seventh-round rookie safety Kendall Williamson on the practice squad besides Thomas, so they might consider him instead for the game but he has less experience in the defense than Thomas.

They'll likely know more on Wednesday about Brisker's status, said Eberflus. The entire injury situation becomes more transparent then as the first injury report of the year is due out then.