The Bears are preparing for Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson to play Monday, although it’s unclear whether he will.
Jefferson practiced Thursday, albeit in a limited fashion, as he works his way back from injured reserve. He has been out with a hamstring problem since Oct. 11 — right before the Vikings beat the Bears at Soldier Field. Jefferson participated in most of the Vikings’ walkthrough Wednesday, too.
Skipping the game against the Bears figures to be the smartest approach because the Vikings have a bye the next week. If Jefferson sits Monday, he’ll return for the Vikings’ game Dec. 10 against the Raiders.
Jefferson seemed to indicate he wouldn’t return until he felt ready when he wrote on social media Tuesday that ‘‘my health is wayyyy more important than you winning your fantasy games.’’
‘‘[The Vikings] just have certain coverages for him,’’ Bears safety Jaquan Brisker said this week. ‘‘Go off film from last year, go off film from the beginning of the year. We know where he lines up. We know what kind of offense they run when he’s in.’’
Asked what makes Jefferson special, Brisker sounded as though he didn’t want to give him too much credit, even though he led the NFL with 128 catches and 1,809 receiving yards last season.
‘‘They move him around and they give him the ball,’’ Brisker said. ‘‘He’s just another player to me. To other guys, he’s special.’’
Jefferson tortures the Bears. In six games against them, he has 41 catches for 585 yards and two touchdowns. Since 2020, the next-closest receiver in terms of yards against the Bears, Packers star-turned-Raiders standout Davante Adams, has 317 yards. No one else has half as many yards as Jefferson.
Edmunds ready for more
Middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds played two-thirds of the Bears’ defensive snaps in his return from a knee injury against the Lions but said he’s ready for a heavier workload.
‘‘Whatever was my role on Sunday, I just wanted to help my team the best way that I could,’’ he said. ‘‘Unselfishly, I just wanted to be out there and contribute, no matter what it looked like. That was very important to me just to be out there with the guys, to get my feet wet again and to move around. It felt good.’’
Edmunds intercepted a tipped pass but missed a tackle on running back Jahmyr Gibbs that contributed to the Lions’ rally.
This and that
Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (ribs) and cornerback Akayleb Evans (calf) were limited in practice. Backup quarterbacks Nick Mullens (back) and Jaren Hall (concussion) practiced in full.
• Fullback Khari Blasingame is nursing a shoulder injury but would have practiced.
• The Bears will hold full practices Friday and Saturday after having a walkthrough for Thanksgiving.
