Chicago Bears top wide receiver Rome Odunze returned to practice for the first time in three weeks Friday as the team prepared for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field.
Odunze (foot) came back after he missed his fourth straight game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday and missed practice earlier in the week. He had been out since he re-aggravated his injury before the team’s Week 15 game against the Cleveland Browns.
Whether Odunze comes back Sunday remains to be seen. The team listed him as questionable and Odunze said he’d like to play. But he’ll follow the team’s guidance about what to do next.
“That’s what I want to do,” Odunze said Friday at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. “Obviously, I want to play, but I’m following their plan, so we’ll see where that leads me on Sunday. Still up in the air right now, but was able to go out there today. Felt pretty good. I’m locked in with what we’re doing this week. So we’ll see.”
Odunze didn’t want to get into specifics about the injury but said it was a little bit different than the heel injury he dealt with earlier in the season. He also said surgery wasn’t on the table to repair the injury. Time and rehab seemed to be the course of action to get Odunze back on the field.
Missing time has been frustrating for Odunze, The target for his return has changed at times and he called the experience a rollercoaster as he watched from the sidelines as the team reached the playoffs.
“It’s definitely not for me,” Odunze said. “It’s tough to not play. I don’t think I’ve been out this long in a while, so it’s definitely a challenge. But just trying to do my part in that, obviously, support the guys and support the season that we’re having, a tremendous season, we got a playoff shot. So just looking forward to those opportunities, looking forward to the next opportunity.”
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The Bears will have some other injury uncertainty for Sunday’s game. Chicago will be without defensive end Joe Tyron-Shoyinka (concussion) after he missed practice all week.
The team also added safety Jaquan Brisker (illness) to the injury report Friday while starting left tackle Ozzy Trapilo (knee/squad) and cornerback Nick McCloud (illness) remained limited. All three players were listed as questionable.
Starting right guard Jonah Jackson (illness) was a full participant after missing practice Thursday and had no designation for Sunday. Cornerback Josh Blackwell (shoulder), rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III (quad) and wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (illness) were each full and had no designation.
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