BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns kicker Phil Dawson is optimistic he can play Sunday at Chicago.

Dawson has missed the last five weeks with a strained calf, but he returned to practice for a couple of days last week and has been kicking in practice this week.

"We'll see, but I'm optimistic," Dawson said. "There would be no one more excited if I got a green light than me. I just want to play again. This sitting around and watching is for the birds."

Billy Cundiff has made all six of his field goal attempts in place of Dawson, but his longest is 31 yards.