Bears coach Matt Nagy is “hoping” two of his biggest defensive stars — outside linebacker Khalil Mack and safety Eddie Jackson — will be back Sunday against the Ravens.
Mack sat two games in an effort to allow the foot he sprained Sept. 26 to heal, and Jackson has missed basically two games after hurting his hamstring on the second play against the 49ers and being inactive against the Steelers.
Both players got an extra week of recovery without having to miss another game because the Bears were off last week, but neither was on the field during the part of practice open to the media Monday.
Nagy gave no real indication of either players’ chance of playing this week or even practicing when the Bears resume Wednesday, but the initial thought on Mack was that he could be back for this game.
He was already playing through the injury and had six sacks in the first six games. Also, the Bears eschewed the option to put him on injured reserve with optimism that he would not need to sit three games.
Mack is second on the team in sacks to Robert Quinn (6.5) and has 19 tackles and a fumble recovery. Jackson has 40 tackles and a forced fumble.
The Bears also opened the three-week practice window for safety Deon Bush, who has been on injured reserve since hurting his quad muscle Oct. 17 against the Packers.
Third-string quarterback Nick Foles, who was out for a personal reason and an illness leading up to the Steelers game, was at practice Monday.
