Chicago Bears injury report: LB Tremaine Edmunds returns to practice; Khalil Herbert will be activated

LAKE FOREST – Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds returned to practice in a limited capacity on Friday at Halas Hall in Lake Forest.

Edmunds injured his knee during an Oct. 29 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. He sat out the past two games. Edmunds didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday, but was listed as a limited participant on the Friday injury report. The team has designated him as questionable ahead of Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions.

The Bears offense looks like it might be back to full strength on Sunday. If Edmunds plays, the Bears will have all their starters healthy on both sides of the ball.

With Edmunds sidelined the last two weeks, second-year linebacker Jack Sanborn has filled in.

“We have a lot of confidence in Jack,” linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi said. “If you look at last year, kind of a different dynamic with the situation, but Jack came in and played really well. So, we had a lot of confidence in Jack coming in this year because of what he did last year in those six games that he played.”

Sanborn, however, is questionable to play Sunday due to an ankle injury and an illness. Running back D’Onta Foreman (ankle) is also questionable. Foreman was limited in practice Friday.

Meanwhile, running back Khalil Herbert (ankle/shin) was once again a full participant on Friday and holds no injury designation entering the game. Head coach Matt Eberflus said that Herbert will be added to the active roster on Saturday.

“Khalil Herbert will be activated [Saturday],” Eberflus said. “Excited about that. He had a good week of practice.”

On Thursday, the Bears waived running back Darrynton Evans. That move opened up a spot on the 53-man roster for Herbert. Evans rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries for the Bears.

Foreman has been really good with Herbert out. Eberflus wouldn’t say if Herbert’s game action could be limited in his return. Herbert was impressed with how Foreman has played the past five weeks.

“He did a great job,” Herbert said of Foreman. “And, first and foremost, that’s all I want to see. I want to see my guys succeed, no matter what. So, I’m not thinking about my pitch count or how many carries I’m getting. I always have the same mindset since I’ve been in the league. Get one carry and try and score.”

Rookie linebacker Noah Sewell (knee) has been ruled out. He will not get to play against his brother, Lions tackle Penei Sewell. Sewell tweaked his knee in practice Thursday and will be “week-to-week,” per Eberflus.

Quarterback Justin Fields (right thumb) practiced in full all week and does not hold an injury designation heading into the game. He is expected to start Sunday.

“There’s an excitement, no doubt,” Eberflus said. “Having him, our starter, back is definitely a boost. You can see the defense getting excited about it and, certainly, the offensive guys. You could see it in walkthrough. The excitement was there.”

There’s an excitement, no doubt. Having him, our starter, back is definitely a boost. You can see the defense getting excited about it and, certainly, the offensive guys. You could see it in walkthrough. The excitement was there.”

—  Matt Eberflus, Bears head coach

Transactions: The Bears signed center Doug Kramer to the practice squad Friday after the Arizona Cardinals waived him earlier in the week.

Kramer was previously on the Bears’ active roster this season, but the team waived him ahead of last week’s game against the Panthers in order to make room on the 53-man roster for other players coming off injured reserve. The Cardinals claimed Kramer off waivers, but he did not play in their game on Sunday against the Falcons.

Kramer returns to a Bears team that drafted him with a sixth-round draft pick in 2022.