It’s cliché to say Akiem Hicks has had Sunday’s game at Lambeau Field circled ever since he dislocated his elbow in Week 5 against the Raiders.
But it’s true.
“That’s a pretty specific date,” the Bears’ Pro Bowl defensive lineman said Monday. “I knew when it was coming. I’ve prepared accordingly.”
The Bears have been cautious not to guarantee Hicks’ return from injured reserve at Lambeau Field on Sunday, with coach Matt Nagy saying Monday he hoped he’d play against their rivals. Hicks’ insistence that this is a “regular work week,” though, reinforces the belief that he’ll play.
The Bears gathered Monday for “more of a mental day,” Nagy said, and will return to practice Wednesday. Then the Bears will have three days to determine Hicks’ fitness.
Per the league’s IR rules, Hicks was allowed to return to practice last week. They’ll ramp up his workload during practice this week, though they don’t have to detail exactly how much. Because he’s on IR, the Bears don’t need to include him on the injury report all week.
If he projects to play Sunday, the Bears figure to activate him off IR on Saturday afternoon.
While Hicks believes he’ll play, how he makes it through the week is still important.
“The mentality for him is try to get stronger each and every day,” Nagy said. “He hasn’t been through any of the live stuff at all. Each day try to stay positive, try to get stronger and see where it takes us by the end of the week. But hopefully he’ll be ready to go.”
He’s not there yet — but Hicks believes he will be in time. That should provide a boost to a Bears rush defense that lost inside linebacker Roquan Smith for the season after he tore his pectoral muscle Thursday. Hicks’ presence should benefit outside linebackers Khalil Mack and Leonard Floyd, who have combined for two sacks over the Bears’ last four games.
“One of the things I really focused on was making sure my elbow was in the strongest place possible,” Hicks said. “We still have some finishing up to do. All these days to make gains and get a little bit better. Just working on that.”
Hicks — who has one sack in four starts this season, though it came against the Packers in Week 1 — wouldn’t make any bold promises about his play once he returns.
“Coaches hate it when I say this: I just love to play good football,” he said. “I don’t expect any crazy things. I don’t want to play outside my norm. I want to play good football. That’s all I can do.”
Hicks has been rebuilding strength in his left elbow since his arm was caught between Raiders running back Josh Jacobs and Mack on a first-quarter running play in London. He wasn’t able to lift more than 5 lbs. at first.
Hicks said he elbow feels good, but he won’t know for sure how it holds up until Sunday.
He just needs to get there first.
“Everything’s going to come to light those first couple plays,” he said. “There’s nothing like that first moment of being back, or stepping on the field, and that first contact. You can simulate in whatever environment you want, but there’s nothing like it.”
