Bears LB Trevathan 'full-speed and ready to go'
Inside linebacker Danny Trevathan did not play in the preseason and was not a full participant in practice until this week, but his recovery from a torn patellar tendon Nov. 27 has been amazing.
He's ahead of schedule and expects to start Sunday.
"He's full-speed and ready to go," coach John Fox said. "He's fresh, and obviously he hasn't had any game contact or game time since the injury, but you simulate that as well as you can in practices. We're confident about his readiness."
It's not surprising that Trevathan is back after just nine months when other players need a year or more to come back from the same injury. Early last season he had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb but missed just two games, returning to play with a cast.
"Nothing worth it is ever going to be easy," Trevathan said. "It's all about your mindset and how you want to come out of it.
"I came in with the mindset that I wasn't going to let this defeat me. It was just another bump in the road. My team needs me, and I need to be out there. Football is my life, and that's my job, and I take it very seriously. So anything I could do to get out there, I'm out there."
Checkmate Charlie:
Pernell McPhee practiced Monday for the first time since December, so if he plays Sunday, the Bears may have to proceed cautiously.
But coach John Fox said that isn't an easy thing to do.
"It's not a careful game," Fox said. "I think we'll feel good about him. He's cleared medically. You can't coach it carefully, and you can't play it carefully. It's not chess."
The waiting game:
Left guard Kyle Long (ankle surgery), a three-time Pro Bowl player, hasn't gone through a full practice since last November. He said he's getting closer to returning, but it doesn't seem it'll be Sunday.
"I'm not going to go out there unless I feel like myself," Long said. "I don't want to go out there and let my team down and not be able to do the things I want to do physically and from a football standpoint."
Not there yet:
Wide receiver Markus Wheaton is working his way back from a broken pinkie finger that required surgery.
Until Thursday, he had been limited to catching Nerf footballs.
"I've graduated to real footballs," Wheaton said. "I actually did a little bit out there with the team, and it felt good."
Asked if he was good to go, Wheaton said: No. I'm not. I haven't played a lot of football yet. I'm sure it'll come quick once I start playing again."
Injury update:
Guard Kyle Long (ankle) and wide receiver Markus Wheaton (finger) returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday, while cornerback Prince Amukamara (ankle) remained out.
Linebacker Sam Acho (ankle), defensive end Jonathan Bullard (glute), cornerback Sherrick McManis (hamstring) and outside linebacker Pernell McPhee (knee) remained limited, while rookie safety Eddie Jackson (groin) was upgraded to full participation.
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